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DECEMBER 2009 Tallahassee, South Georgia, Gulf Coast | www.natallahassee.com December 2009
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contact us Publisher Donna L. Konuch Editor Donna L. Konuch Design & Production Susan McCann jaxgraphicdesign.net Advertising Sales Donna L. Konuch 850-590-7024 Natural Awakenings Tallahassee 3767 Greyfield Dr Tallahassee, Fl 32311 Phone: 850-590-7024 Fax: 850-270-67NA (6732) natallahassee@yahoo.com www.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com www.NATallahassee.com © 2009 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call for a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback. SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available for $18 (for 12 issues). Please call 850-590-7024 with credit card information or mail a check, payable to Natural Awakenings–Tallahassee, to the above address.
Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.
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Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
contents 11
26
24
5 newsbriefs
7 globalbriefs
8 healthykids
9 healthbriefs
Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.
12 naturalpet
Easy Tips to Keep Kids Healthy This Winter by Dr. Lauri Grossman
14 healingways
12 THREE DOG NIGHT
16 consciouseating
Should Fido and Fluffy Share our Bed?
27 community
spotlight
28 calendarof
events
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31 ongoing calendar 34 community resource guide 35 classified
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8 SNIFFLE PATROL
by George Costa
14 HEALING RITUALS
AROUND THE WORLD
by Debra Bokur
16 RADICALLY
18
CLEAR SKIN
Glow from the Inside Out by Lisa Marshall
16
18 AWAKENING
CONSCIOUSNESS
Bold New Visions for Us, the Earth and the Universe by Barbara Amrhein
27 ONE STITCH
AT A TIME
“Sew For HOPE” Inspires a Community by Rachel Sokol
26 HOW TO KEEP THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT ALIVE ALL YEAR
by Linda Sechrist
27 December 2009
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letterfromthepublisher
True communication is communion - the realization of oneness, which is love. - Eckhart Tolle
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ertainly publishing a magazine involves communication. How nice that Mr. Tolle feels communication is more than just the exchange of words but a communion between people. A way of uniting and expressing that which is One within all of us. In some religions, they say We are One with God. To me, God is love. Can I then make the conclusion that We are One with God who is Love, therefore, we are Love? How’s that for a bit of shared philosophy? How nice would that be if we all recognized we are one with each other and could easily communicate love in all ways, everyday. What a world we would live in. I think we are closest to that loving, spiritual philosophy at this time of year more than any other. In December, people celebrate different holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or Winter Solstice. We share meals, gifts, rituals, and reflect on the past year and the blessings in our lives. We are often kinder, more patient with others and generous. It is this time of year when we are closest to realizing the oneness we share with each other. I encourage you to try to extend those gestures and traditions throughout the year. Imagine the peace in the world that could result. In our Newsbrief section, we report on the Alternative Christmas Market being held at the Wesley United Methodist church, on December 5th and 6th. This church has been holding this event for the last 23 years in Tallahassee. If you’re not familiar with it, I invite you to check out the charities that are involved, and the wonderful, thoughtful gifts you can give to your friends and family, that assist others in need at the same time. This would be an active gesture of generosity that reflects the oneness that we share with each other, even others in different parts of the world. Speaking of others in different parts of the world, on page 18, we have an article on Awakening Consciousness. Barbara Amrhein shares her vision for us, the Earth and the Universe. The timing of this article is perfect for us to reflect on at this time of year. On page 26, we have a local article from readers and contributors to Natural Awakenings Tallahassee, and how each one of them keeps the holiday spirit alive throughout the year. This article helps me celebrate all the wonderful people I have come to know, and appreciate the wonderful region we live in. As we wrap up the year 2009, my wish for you at this time of year, and always, is that your lives are filled with joy, good health is all that you know, and love is all that you experience.
How to Advertise
To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 850-590-7024 or natallahassee@yahoo. com. Deadline for ad space reservation for the January issue is Saturday, December 12.
News Briefs and article submissions
Email articles, news items and ideas to: natallahassee@yahoo.com. Deadline for editorial for the January issue is Saturday, December 5.
calendar submissions
Email calendar events to: natallahassee@ yahoo.com or fax to 850-590-7024. Please see page 31 for details Calendar deadline for January issue is Thursday, December 10.
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Coming in January
Blessings,
Donna K.
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advertising & Submissions
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Integrative Medicine
Wellness Specialist and Florida Author Lectures in Tallahassee
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lice McCall, author of Wellness Wisdom, a reference book that highlights her personal journey with breast cancer, will be giving two talks on natural health in Tallahassee. Entitled “Natural Health and Healing” these two free seminars will be held on Tuesday, December 8th at 7-8:30pm to the Healing Arts Alliance of Tallahassee, and again, on Wednesday, December 9th at 6:30- 8pm at the Crystal Connection. Both events are free and open to the public. Ms. McCall’s lecture will focus on what she believes really causes health issues and diseases with alternative ways to maintain health and healing. She will explore the influence of the mind, emotions, and spiritual connection to the body, as well as diet and nutrition, the importance of sleep, and more. These special events will be followed by a question and answer session and a book signing with Ms. McCall. Approximately 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. According to statistics from the American Cancer Society, in 2009 alone, there was an estimated 192,320 new cases reported in the United States. For those seeking natural methods of maintaining health, healing, or preventing cancer and other health issues, Alice McCall offers practical advice and hope. Ms. McCall has a successful career as a Transformational Energy Healer, Spiritual Counselor, and Inspirational Speaker. Her specialty is helping those with serious diseases. She works with clients all over the United States. Learn more about her practice at www.healingpath.info or by calling 850-585-5496. For more information regarding the Tallahassee free lectures visit www.healingartsalliance.org or www.crystalconnectiononline.com.
Celebrate the Holidays at LeMoyne
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eMoyne Center for the Visual Arts’ theme for 2009 was Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which provides a fun, whimsical backdrop for the Center’s holiday festivities. This year’s holiday show opened Thanksgiving night, providing a perfect means for the whole family to get into the holiday spirit. The holiday show is running until December 31st, and LeMoyne will be open extended hours for the event: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. There’s still plenty of time to peruse the Center’s five galleries featuring trees decorated with myriad themes, ranging from birds and bugs to wine and cheese. Children aged 6 to 12 are invited to LeMoyne’s holiday art workshops this season which are held every Saturday until December 19th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. These workshops are a terrific way for parents to get some shopping done while their children create art. LeMoyne is a center for the visual arts that provides fine art exhibitions, year round art classes, and special art-related cultural events for the citizens of Tallahassee and surrounding areas. This season, several local artists have partnered with LeMoyne to sell their work during this holiday show, providing guests with unique and affordable gift ideas. The Center distinguishes itself in offering the very best of local, regional and national creative arts. An average of 108,000 international and U.S. visitors come to the gallery and surrounding facilities each year. Please note: students must be registered in advance for the holiday art workshops. The cost of the workshop includes all materials and a snack. LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts is located at 125 North Gadsden Street in Tallahassee. For more info, call 850-222-8800 or visit lemoyne.org. To register for the art classes, please email Jennifer at education@lemoyne.org.
The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra Presents it’s Annual Holiday Magic Concert
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ow known as a Tallahassee tradition, the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Magic! Concert on Saturday, December 5, 2009, signals the start of the holidays and brings the season alive with music. The concert will be held at the North Florida Baptist Church at 8:00pm. Miriam Burns, Music Director, will lead the orchestra through a delightful offering of musical comfort and joy. Marcía Porter, soprano, will delight the audience with selections of holiday gospel music originally orchestrated for soprano Jessye Norman and never before heard in Tallahassee. The voices of the Chiles High School Women’s Chorus will add to the spirit of the season in ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and other holiday favorites. Members of the TSO Chorus will join in a presentation of Rutter’s Brother Henrich’s Christmas, with Dan MacDonald narrating the fable. TSO’s own concertmaster, Corinne Stillwell performs Winter from the Four Season by Vivaldi, and numerous other holiday pieces, including a Holiday Hoedown and the must-have carol sing-along, complete the program. All Tickets for the Holiday Magic! Concert are General Admission. Discounted rates on tickets for Seniors and Children/Students are available. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, on line through a link on the TSO website. by calling 644-6500 between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra at (850) 224-0461 or visit the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra website at ww.tallahasseesymphony.org
December 2009
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Salvage Art Studio Links Artists to Their Environment
Food Co-op Opens in Railroad Square
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ood Co-ops are springing up all over the U.S. lately and Tallahassee is no exception. Bread & Roses Food Cooperative is a member-worker, owned, operated and managed nonprofit grocery store opening soon in ast month, artist Carly Sinnadurai Railroad Square. Founded by a group of friends from the opened a store designed to convert Tallahassee area, some of whom frequented the Co-op salvage into art. At the core of Salvage Art communities of Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York and Studio is an innovative concept that combines waste managewere familiar with the concept, participation in Bread ment with art making. In a unique partnership with businesses & Roses will be distributed evenly. Each member of the and manufacturers, Salvage Art Studio collects scraps, overstock, Cooperative agrees to work a few hours each month. In factory rejects and other items normally destined for the landfill. turn, the money saved by reducing overhead expenSalvage Art Studio makes these products available to teachditures through collective ers, parents, artists, scout leaders, day care providers—basically effort will drastically lower anyone who is interested in reducing waste through the re-use the cost of groceries. This of discardable materials. The products will be on display at RR Square, just like any other retail operation alongside lesson plans results in an approximate and other unique ideas for the recycled item. The only difference average savings of 40% between the studio and other retail operations is that the custom- on all groceries for all members. Non-members er can usually buy items by bulk and for an extremely affordable price. The stock changes frequently, bringing new surprises every will be welcome to shop at Bread & Roses but will not week. Sample projects show how the materials can be used, and benefit from the reduced an artist is always on site to talk about project ideas. member prices. “Being a part of RR Square, the art district here, the commuKeeping up with nity response was astonishing,” says Sinnadurai. “Everyone had a the green initiative and positive attitude and a great holistic energy towards the program.” mission most commonly Currently, Sinnadurai is trying to gain a non-profit status so she associated with food Co-ops, the goal of this Co-op is can give donors a tax receipt. She also plans to do a spring break to broaden access to quality, healthy and organic foods. and summer camp for children. “The summer camp will be a The founders contacted local businesses and farmers and comprehensive program based on sustainability,” she says. “We through word-of-mouth, will be selling locally-grown will teach the children everything from standard recycling proce- produce and foods including specialty breads, butter, dures to gardening, creating art and recreating from materials that cheese and more. are normally thrown to the wayside.” Two upcoming projects SinAccording to Justin Pogge, one of Bread & Roses’ nadurai is working are: a mural and art competition. “The mural founders, the Co-op will operate as a store front within a warehouse, with additional space in the back of the project is in collaboration with the National Art Honors Society warehouse. It is their goal to eventually utilize the wareand RR Square,” says Sinnadurai. “We plan to create a mural on house space for art exhibits, music, meetings and other the side of our warehouse with a positive earth-friendly message, events that will bring members together and give them a accompanied by business logos from every business that has helped give us a beginning.” The art competition will encourage chance to get to know each other. Members are encouraged to join one of the many Co-op committees that artists and students in the area to create a piece of artwork made focus on everything from marketing to environmental from all recycled materials. The artworks will be displayed at concerns of the Co-op. “We want to create a participaSalvage Art for February First Friday. tory democracy at every level, from policy making to Sinnadurai wants the Tallahassee community to know she is store operations,” says Pogge, who said the founders currently taking donations. “We take any donations, no matter worked hard on the Co-ops structure and organization, how small or big,” she says. “I can pick them up or the public can using the Brooklyn model as an example. “We’ve had drop them off.” Eventually, she would like Salvage Art Studio to so much help starting out, and many people continue to have so many materials that they can support the average student offer their services,” says Pogge. population with classroom materials such as paper, pencils and Bread & Roses’ storefront recently passed its inspecnotebooks. tion by the Dept. of Agriculture and is currently placAs for being an integral part of the RR art community, Sining orders. The store will officially be opening its doors nadurai says, “every first Friday of the month, all the galleries this month, and are planning their official launch party and shops open to the public. There is music, food, dance, drum for January. “We want to be seen as less of a store and circle and an array of fabulously unique and artistic people. I more of a community endeavor,” says Pogge. “This Cohave met some of my best friends out here. I want to thank all of op is good for community building and we want to use it Tallahassee for supporting this idea. The sky is the limit.” a springboard to also enlighten the community.” To donate to the organization, contact Carly Sinnadurai at Bread & Roses is located at 617 Industrial Drive in recycle4art@yahoo.com. Pick-up donations can be scheduled on Tallahassee. For more info, visit http://breadandrosesa one-time basis, biweekly, monthly, or quarterly. foodcoop.com.
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Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
Holiday Gifts with Meaning.
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his year, the John Wesley United Methodist Church, will be having their 23rd Annual Alternative Christmas Market. This event will be held on Saturday, December 5, from 9 to 4 p.m. and on Sunday, December 6, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Ruth Chase, one of the volunteers at the Alternative Christmas Market was touched one year at Christmas, when a friend of hers gifted her with a hive of bees, which would help a family in Africa. “This hive of bees would not only provide them honey for their own use, but would give them a cash crop to provide income for the family,” she said. She later found out the source of this touching gift was from the Wesley United Methodist church Alternative Christmas event. More than 40 non-profit charitable organizations will be represented at the market, some of them include the Alzheimer’s Project, Refuge House, Heifer International, Peace Corps, Salvation Army, etc. Each organization sets up a booth displaying information and pictures of their work. Cider, coffee, tea and cookies will be provided for shoppers. There will also be a card and gift shop with items for sale and a special card room where volunteers calligraphy and personalize the gift cards. Shoppers may also make a suggested donation of one canned food item or roll of toilet tissue for the needy. The John Wesley United Methodist Church is located at 1689 Old Saint Augustine Road. For more information on the Alternative Christmas Market event, check out their website at http:// johnwesleyumc.com.
globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that works for all.
Radical Transparency
GoodGuide Rates Consumer Products Careful shoppers are thinking twice about what they buy, but until now it’s been virtually impossible for the average consumer to access the information they need to evaluate if a product is truly safe, healthy and green. Dara O’Rourke, co-founder of GoodGuide, a website and iPhone app that taps the expertise of scientists and engineers to analyze the impacts of individual products, is out to change that. Until now, “We basically don’t know anything about the products we buy,” says O’Rourke, a professor at the University of California–Berkeley. “In some ways, we live in the Dark Ages when we go shopping.” GoodGuide.com is a sort of CliffsNotes to the confounding and complex world of ingredients typically—but not always—found listed on the back of everyday products. It rates 75,000 items from 0 to 10. The ratings team considers an overall 6 to 8 to be good. Scores for each of 600 criteria cover a multitude of factors, tracking a product’s environmental life cycle and full range of corporate social values. Source: The Christian Science Monitor
We Care
Fund a Favorite Charity at No Extra Cost Conscious shoppers spend their money wisely. But when they do shop, they can feel good about automatically donating a percentage of their online purchases to their favorite charity at no extra cost to them. We-Care.com is a user-friendly “click through” website that gives shoppers access to 800 retailers online, and then lets them choose among hundreds of charities to benefit from their purchase. They can even add a charity to the options if it’s not already listed. Nonprofit categories range from peace and justice, women’s advocacy, animal welfare and disaster relief to arts, education and environmental causes.
Alice Sanpere, LM, CPM Layla Swisher, LM, CPM Diana Janopaul, LM, CPM
December 2009
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healthykids
Sniffle Patrol Easy Tips to Keep Kids Healthy This Winter by Dr. Lauri Grossman
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ccording to the National Institutes of Health, children can get six to 10 colds a year, but with the Food and Drug Administration’s recent warnings about the safety of over-the-counter cold medicines for children, many parents are looking for new ways to find relief. Here is a rundown of some of safest and most effective alternatives.
n Miso and chicken soup, herbal teas and water flush away toxins and keep the respiratory tract moist.
Prevention
Foods to Avoid ~ Sugar depresses the immune system and keeps white blood cells from being able to fight infection, so it is to be avoided. Although many people drink orange juice for its vitamin C content, 100 percent fruit juices are also high in sugar. Switching to water or teas or diluting juices is a good idea. Milk encourages the buildup of mucous, so it’s best to avoid dairy during the healing process. Pass on the milk or switch kids to soy or rice-based milks for the duration of a cold.
Colds, like most illnesses, tend to affect children whose immune systems are weak; the best defense is to take steps to support the body’s natural defenses. Having children eat well, drink plenty of water, exercise and get ample rest helps keep their immune systems strong. A recommended diet includes whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. Good basics work together to keep kids healthy and active.
Treatment Recommended Foods ~ If a child comes down with a cold, encourage them to eat lightly. This allows their body to concentrate on healing, rather than on digesting a three-course meal. Choose foods wisely; some of the best natural medicines are found at home in the kitchen cabinet: n Steamed vegetables and soups fortify the body with minerals.
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n Ginger, onions and garlic warm the body and boost the immune system. n Hot water with lemon and honey soothes the throat and chest and thins mucous. n Mint tea and peppermint candies help with tickling coughs.
2 to 4 milliliters of tincture, four times a day. For children, give a proportional amount, based on the child’s weight. Lomatium ~ Given in the same dose as echinacea, lomatium also has antiviral properties. Elderberry ~ Used for centuries, elderberry syrups are still popular in Europe for fighting the common cold and boosting the immune function. (Elderberry is also one of the best herbal remedies for the flu.)
Homeopathy
Medical doctor James Balch, co-author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, and naturopathic doctor Mark Stengler are leading natural health experts. They recommend the following herbs to counter a cold:
Evaluating a child’s symptoms at the onset of a cold offers clues for remedies that can speed up the healing process and lessen the severity of symptoms. Give the child two or three pellets of the appropriate remedy (as noted below) that matches his or her symptoms in a 30C potency, four times a day. Stop when improvement becomes noticeable and begin again only if symptoms return. If there is no improvement within 24 hours, select a different remedy and/or consult with a professional homeopath.
Echinacea ~ This popular herb enhances immune function. The dose for a 150-pound adult is 500 milligrams, or
Aconitum ~ Aconitum is useful during the first 24 hours of a cold. It is indicated when there is a sudden onset of
Herbal Remedies
Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
fever and restlessness after exposure to cold winds or cold weather.
healthbriefs
Pulsatilla ~ Pulsatilla is called for when nasal congestion is thick and when symptoms become worse at night, when lying down or in rooms that are warm. It is the remedy to use if children become weepy when ill and want to be held.
Ten Things Missing from Health Care Reform Debate
Allium cepa ~ Allium is a helpful remedy when a child’s nose runs like a dripping faucet. He or she may also be sneezing and experiencing watery eyes.
f we’re going to fix our health care system, we have to come up with something that actually addresses the root cause of disease in America,” says Mike Adams, founder of NaturalNews. com, an online news source for personal and planetary wellness. “The current health care reform debate in Washington is really just… a ploy to keep everyone focused on all the wrong topics, while quietly refusing to talk about the big issues that threaten the health of an entire nation.”
crops like corn, which make high-fructose corn syrup the cheapest sweetener for manufacturers to use.
Adams cites these top 10 reforms missing from President Obama’s health care plan:
For more information visit the source at NaturalNews.com/health_care.html. Read and sign the petition for genuine improvements at HealthRevolutionPetition.org.
Gelsemium ~ If drowsiness is the most noticeable problem, then Gelsemium may be what is needed. Symptoms include overwhelming fatigue and exhausting bouts of sneezing. Natrum muriaticum ~ This remedy is most helpful when colds are accompanied by thick, clear nasal, discharge, chapped lips and cracks in the corners of the mouth.
Hydrotherapy
“I
Water cures are used throughout much of the world, especially in European spas. These soothing therapies do wonders for kids with coughs and colds, often providing relief within minutes. Hot baths, showers and breathing in steam imbued with lavender oil can soothe coughs and help children fall asleep. Adding eucalyptus or peppermint can relieve congestion. Finally, remember the age-old tradition moms have used for centuries; for sore throats, gargle with salt water. Natural remedies can be a source of great comfort when used wisely. They have a long tradition of being well tolerated by children and should help keep kids up and about this winter. Even if a child gets a sniffle or two, chances are they can soon be back in the swing of life.
n Ending the Food and Drug Administration’s suppression of natural cures and safe, effective nutritional supplements.
Note: Consult with a physician if a child’s symptoms don’t improve within a few days of treatment and always before treating an infant.
n Banning dangerous chemical ingredients that cause diseases in the first place, such as aspartame, sodium nitrite and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Lauri Grossman is a doctor of chiropractic and a certified classical homeopath registered by the North American Society of Homeopaths. More at HomeopathyCafe.com.
n Improving school lunches by serving nutrition foods, instead of what’s cheap and convenient.
n Affirming health freedom for parents who wish to opt out of the current system of forced vaccinations and gunpoint-enforced chemotherapy. n Requiring honest food labeling that clearly identifies foods that are irradiated and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
n Educating the public about how to prevent disease with nutrition. n Ending big pharmaceutical corporations’ monopoly on drug prices and patents. n Restoring the ability of local doctors to practice medicine without being controlled by bureaucrats in Washington. n Cracking down on ads for junk foods, sodas and pharmaceuticals that convince people to purchase harmful products.
n Ending bizarre food subsidies on December 2009
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healthbriefs
Celebrating Winter Solstice
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n many cultures, traditions associated with the winter solstice on December 21—marking the longest night and shortest day of the year— spark celebrations. But with all the winter holiday to-dos and fewer daylight hours, this fun time of year can also be draining. Rituals can help us remember that life, like the sun, is cycling itself to rebound with strength. We can recognize the solstice as a powerful moment of annual turning by lighting a candle or burning a Yule log, in keeping with ancient traditions. It’s a time to seek warmth by surrounding ourselves with friends and family dear to our hearts. It’s a time to bring mistletoe, holly, ivy and piney evergreens home, gather around the table, laugh over shared stories, read poetry and renew our spirits with photographed memories of recent vacations. Solstice brings a time of stillness and reflection. Placing seeds such as acorns into an offering bowl serves as a gentle reminder of nature’s empowering renewal of life through rebirth. Children will enjoy venturing outdoors to look at the stars through a telescope. Stargazing on a clear night is a humbling experience that can shift and lift our mood and perspective.
A Healthy Glow
Candles made from soy are an easy alternative to expensive beeswax candles for revelers who have learned to shun passé petroleum-based paraffin for a glowingly Earth-friendly holiday home. Both beeswax and soy candles are nontoxic and produce less soot than old-style candles; they also burn longer and clean up more easily in the event of spillage. Source: Soya.be
Source: Adapted from Shambhala.org.
Good Foods for a Healthy Holiday Bash away from a brighter, lighter table, satisfied and in good cheer. • Beverage options include lower-calorie drinks, such as mineral water with spritzers of lime or orange juice, iced holiday-flavored herbal teas, light beer and holiday punches made with pure fruit juices and sparkling water. • Fruit and vegetable trays do double duty as edible centerpieces. Go for color and texture. Enrich with low-fat cheeses, nuts and dried fruits, such as apricots, dates and cranberries.
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inter just would not be the same without family, friends, music, decor and yes, those much-anticipated holiday parties. With a few simple tricks and a substitution here or there, the all-important party foods can be both delicious and healthy. Guests will walk
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• Dips and spreads become healthier with low-fat sour cream, yogurt or neufchâtel cheese, a cream cheese naturally lower in fat. A dash of fresh herbs boosts flavor and nutrition. • Whole wheat rolls, pita wedges or
Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
multigrain French bread, served with appetizers and dinner, are filling and pack a punch in fiber and protein. • Choose side dishes that need little “dressing up,” such as sweet potatoes, wild rice or couscous. • Fish and seafood serve as festive, healthy main courses. • Simple ingredient changes cut the fat and sugar, while adding nutritional value and flavor to traditional dishes. Examples include replacing a third of the mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower or adding mashed peas to avocados for a great dip with half the fat. Primary sources: Adapted from WebMD.com, NaturalSolutionsMag.com, Life.Gaiam.com.
Coping with Grief Over the Holidays
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oliday celebrations, traditionally memorable for their joys and happiness, can be tough emotional sledding for those grieving the loss of a loved one. Experts counsel that acknowledging the fact that the holidays won’t be the same without the deceased is a first step toward being at peace with the activities unfolding around us. Then, we need to decide what we can handle and how much responsibility we are willing to assume; this might mean letting others do the shopping or cooking. Getting enough rest is crucial; if we need time alone, we should honor that need. It can help to create new traditions that include the deceased in a loving way. We might light a candle, display a photo or revisit photo albums of good times, thus including the life of our loved one in our conversations and celebrations. We could even hang a stocking in the name of the beloved for family and friends to stuff with notes, thereby sharing their feelings with us. Holidays are not about “shoulds,” but about what’s comfortable and best for our family and us. If this is the first holiday without a loved one and celebrating seems impossible, we can instead celebrate winter, by engaging in a physical nature activity. Whatever we do, we can know that grieving is a necessary and healthy process and that healing is possible. Adapted from GriefAndRenewal.com, Griefnet.org and HospiceFoundation.org.
Frankincense a Wise Man’s Remedy Frankincense, the herb Boswellia carteri, is often found in festive aromatherapy blends, due to its warm, sensual aroma. Originating in Africa, India and the Middle East, researchers have now discovered that this relatively inexpensive herb has potential as a therapeutic aid for bladder cancer, the fourth most common type of cancer for men in the United States. Researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and Oklahoma City VA Medical Center discovered that frankincense oil has the unique ability to discriminate between normal and cancerous bladder cells in culture and kill the cancer cells. The oil also suppresses cancer cell growth.
HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET feel good live simply laugh more
Special
Environmental Edition
TEENS TURNING
BALLROOM
The New Eco-Aware Activists
For Fun & Fitness
GREEN DANCING
TABLETOP WONDERS
POSH
SQUASH
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Source: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2009 December 2009
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THREE DOG NIGHT Should Fido and Fluffy Share our Bed? by George Costa
G
iving pets bed privileges is an age-old issue, with convincing arguments on both sides. The history of the pros and cons are evident in The International Encyclopedia of Dogs, which reports that in pre-Aztec Mexico, the Xoloitzcuintl, now known as the Mexican hairless breed, was a pet and a bed warmer. Today, an American Pet Products Association survey indicates that nearly half of all dogs, 46 percent, at least sometimes sleep in the owner’s or a child’s bed. Cats fare even better, with 79 percent sleeping with their people when they’re in the mood. When he worked as medical director of the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, Dr. John W. Shepard, Jr. discovered that a significant percentage of his haggard patients slept with their animals. After surveying to see how much the pets disturbed their sleep, he declared that about half the pet sleepers asserted that their animal woke them more than once a night. On the other hand, pet owners who desire to sleep with their four-
Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
legged companions will be delighted with a survey of veterinary behaviorists, who concluded that as long as a pet is a good sleeping companion, it’s fine to count sheep with them. Dr. Marsha Reich, a vet with a private animal behavior practice in Maryland, agrees. “Unless a dog growls when you roll over, I don’t have a problem with a dog in the bed.” How To Be Your Dog’s Best Friend, the dog obedience manual by the Monks of New Skete, disagrees, advising that a dog should sleep on the floor, rather than in a person’s bed. Dog behavior specialists, such as Dr. Ian Dunbar and British behaviorist John Rogerson, side with the monks’ opinion, pointing out that if a bossy dog thinks the bed is his and he’s sharing his space, it’s the symptom of an unhealthy relationship. Other concerns about sleeping with furry friends focus on pets that suffer from anxiety. Clingy, needy Fluffys or Fidos should not share bed space, because nightly cuddling fuels a pet’s codependence. A dog that suffers sepa-
ration anxiety needs a little practice in feeling secure. Nighttime is a great time for a rehearsal. Sleeping with cats is also a twosided coin. According to Dr. Lynne Seibert, a behaviorist at the Veterinary Specialty Center in Lynnwood, Washington, the most common problem is that cats may not sleep at night. Seibert observes that cats are home sleeping all day, which leaves them ready to party all night. She recommends supplying cats with more daytime stimulation and engaging them in a play session before bed. A positive outlook on animal bed companions, offered by Dr. Roger Valentine, a holistic veterinarian in Santa Monica, California, sheds light on why pet owners often experience lower blood pressure and cholesterol, fewer minor health problems and better psychological well-being. “It’s a comfort to have a pet with you,” observes Valentine, also pointing out that, “Sleeping with your pet can reduce stress and put you in a relaxed frame of mind for more restful sleep.” There may never be a clear verdict on such a personal issue as accepting a pet as a bedmate. Should one ever be officially rendered, it likely won’t influence those who not only love their pets, but care for them as if they were children.
Pet-Oriented Web site a Helpful Resource for Floridians
P
atricia Collier’s life-long love of animals inspired her to launch FloridaPets.net in October of 2001. It’s a helpful guide for pet guardians in Florida, containing information about pet-friendly places to play, to live, to treat animals, to find veterinary care, to vacation and more. An additional, informative resource is the Web site’s accompanying eZine, the NewsPetter, which Collier has been publishing since June 2003. The site, which is updated frequently, is an all-in-one online classification for everything pet-related in Florida. “I hear from people every day who say this or that on the site helped them find a place to enjoy life with their pet, learn about an issue that could affect them and/or their pet, or find vet care or even more basic needs, like extra food when times get lean, and much more,” says Collier. She calls her Web site and newsletter, “works of love and my small contribution to making the world a better place, for both pets and their people.” Although the site’s directory information, which contains a plethora of information about health care rules and regulations for pets in Florida, including links to government agencies, Collier has a few messages she’d like to express to pet guardians via her Web site. “My message to pet guardians is that pets are not property to be sold, traded or otherwise discarded when they no longer suit the human’s situation or tastes,” she says. “Pets are members of the family with whom they reside and anything less than total devotion on the part of their guardians to them is betrayal of trust not deserved in the first place.” After all, she stresses that she doesn’t use the term pet owner, preferring the word “pet guardian” because “we do not own them; rather they “own” us.” Her secondary message to pet guardians is to “always, always, always, clean up after your pet while in public. The degree to which the Sunshine State will remain pet-friendly will always depend on the actions of the last irresponsible human guardian.” And it also keeps Florida beautiful, of course. “Pets have needs, and desire love and companionship just like their human counterparts,” Collier wants her Web site visitors to remember. “They must be treated with love, humor, and above all, respect.” For more info, and to sign up for the eZine, visit FloridaPets.net.
December 2009
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healingways
HEALING RITUALS AROUND THE WORLD Many of today’s healing rituals draw from the tried-and-true wisdom of our ancestors. by Debra Bokur
F
rom acupressure massage, Ayurvedic facials and Shiatsu to hot stone massage, seaweed treatments and the use of herbs and botanical oils, many of today’s healing rituals share a vital component. Each has a firm foundation in an ancient, re-
spected healing modality that’s recently made its way back into our collective awareness. Thanks to migrating populations and the efforts of world explorers, a glorious overlapping of regions and practices has occurred. Along the way, these traditions have gained renewed respect in today’s forward-thinking wellness communities.
Native American Wisdom As recently as the mid-1800s, nearly 80 percent of all medicine in Europe and the United States was derived from native plants. Native American populations have a long history of tapping into the healing world of botanicals, awarding great respect to plants and recognizing the life force within them as integral to healing. Cleansing sweat lodge ceremonies, for example, as well as the use of such natural elements as sage, clay, willow, agave cactus and honey, have become staples in spas throughout Mexico and the West. Recently, another tradition has been rediscovered: burden baskets. These small, woven baskets are used in an adaptation of an Apache custom, in which they provide a physical receptacle for worries, concerns and mental burdens. Today, guests symboli-
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cally place their cares and burdens in the basket. The therapist then removes it from the room and empties it, leaving each guest free to garner the maximum healing benefit from their therapy.
Caribbean, Coastal Mexico, West Indies and South America Healing traditions within every part of the world share common elements. In tropical locations, local fruit crops of papaya, mango and coconut provide an abundance of natural, antioxidant-rich ingredients for facials and body treatments. On islands throughout the Caribbean and other coastal areas, seaweed, sea water, volcanic mud, sea salt and marine algae provide the same detoxifying and exfoliating benefits today as they did centuries ago. Mayan-themed rituals available along Mexico’s east coast include meditation in the shadows of area ruins and seaside purification rituals. During one intense ritual, guests are blindfolded and guided through a series of experiences that involve and awaken every sense. Further south, in the Amazon region of Venezuela, shamanism revolves around the practice of calling upon the spirits of native plants during healing rituals—a respected method that has helped to maintain and restore human health for centuries. Indigenous peoples in this rainforest environment believe that demonstrating proper respect for each plant is essential to the healing process. This respect ranges from asking the plant’s permission before removing it from its source and thanking it for bestowing its healing powers, to guarding against overharvesting and acknowledging that the plant’s spirit is every bit as important as its chemical components.
Hawaii In Hawai’i (native spelling), kahunas— traditional healers and holy men—have provided a solid basis for modern island spa treatments. Centuries-old Lomilomi massage, with its long, stroking movements, helps stimulate and drain lymphatic glands, while easing the sore muscles of countless visitors. Local honey, popular in facials and
moisturizing body treatments, has long been recognized for its topical healing properties. Honey was used in numerous healing rituals in various early cultures. It was used in numerous healing rituals throughout ancient Greece and Rome; Cleopatra was said to use honey in her royal bath water.
India Today, increasing numbers of people are accessing India’s 5,000-year-old medical system of Ayurveda and the centuries-old practice of yoga. Modern studies of the healing qualities of harmonic sound also have resulted in the production of soothing Eastern and other soundtracks for various traditions of massage as well as the use of Tibetan singing bowls during massage and energy treatments. The use of gemstones to balance emotions and realign energy patterns, too, has gained popularity. Gemstone therapy has roots in many cultures, including Greek, Egyptian and Judaic societies. It was in India, however, that their spiritual and healing powers were most recognized, with mentions in
the Vedic scriptures. Gemstones have been shown to emit specific vibrational frequencies that many believe capable of affecting the body’s own frequencies, functions and well-being.
Africa and Australia From Africa, the practice of rhythmic drumming to induce a meditative state is still used by shamans as a way to enter the spirit world, where questions may be answered and individuals can progress along their healing journey. Aboriginal medicine men in Australia also use drumming, repetitive percussive music and crystals to gain insight into dreams, which they believe are mediums for important messages— including messages of healing.
Asia Asian cultures understand the health benefits of meditation practice. Today’s moving meditative methods include Tai chi and qigong, as well as the tradition of Japanese flower arrangement known as ikebana. Once restricted to Japanese male nobility, today, the inspiring and calm-
ing ritual of ikebana can be practiced by everyone. The practice makes use of found objects, such as rocks, branches, feathers and other offerings from nature, often with the addition of fresh flowers or greenery. Through contemplation and meditation, the practitioner seeks to create a harmonious arrangement of the gathered components. Japanese tea ceremonies are another time-honored ritual with multiple health benefits. Today, the antioxidant properties found in tea are well known. The practice of slowing down and taking time for introspection at a regular interval each day also works to reduce stress and create an oasis in the midst of a busy schedule. Participating in healing rituals and therapies from around the world provides ways for us to reconnect with our past. They remind us of what our ancestors knew so well—that body, mind and spirit cannot be separated. True health embodies the whole person. Debra Bokur is the travel and wellness editor at HealingLifestyles.com and a regular contributor to Fit Yoga and Global Traveler. Connect at NextPlaneMedia.com.
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consciouseating
RADICALLY
CLEAR SKIN
Glow from the Inside Out by Lisa Marshall
Forget the needle, scalpel and expensive potions. Whether it’s wrinkles, pimples, dryness or irritation that is giving you trouble, health experts say the true path to clear, youthful-looking skin runs straight through the grocery aisle.
“F
or too many years, the idea that nutrition could have a significant influence on the skin was dismissed, but that has changed,” says Alan Logan, a Westchester, New York-based naturopathic doctor and coauthor of The Clear Skin Diet. “Whether the issue is aging or acne, many recent studies indicate that nutrition really does matter.” Sue Van Raes, a holistic nutritionist from Boulder, Colorado, points out that because the body tends to prioritize other organs, such as the heart, when doling out nutrients, the skin is the first to show signs of distress when diet is poor: “It’s a critical barometer of our health.” The older we get, the harder it is for our skin to soak up nutrients, making a skinfriendly diet even more critical as we age. “If someone comes to me for aesthetic reasons, the first thing I am going to say is, ‘Tell me about your diet,’” remarks Amy Newburger, a Scarsdale, New York, dermatologist. Here’s a quick and easy look at what to eat and not eat to achieve that desired youthful glow:
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Wrinkle-free with vitamin C: Vitamin C and other antioxidants, such as vitamins E and A, play a crucial role in neutralizing free-radicals associated with sun, wind and environmental toxin exposure, which age cells and lead to wrinkled skin. Vitamin C is particularly important for building plump, moist collagen. Newburger says, “If you aren’t getting enough C, the collagen is not well able to hold water and looks wrinkly.” Those who spend lots of time outdoors playing or working amid the harsh elements need it most. This counsel is backed by research, including a study of 4,025 women published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007, in which researchers found higher vitamin C intake associated with a significantly lower likelihood of wrinkles. So, don’t forget to eat lots of leafy greens and consider chugging a glass of orange juice after playing outside in the sun. Tomatoes and green tea: Two other nutrients that have earned considerable attention from skin researchers recently include lycopene, from tomatoes, and polyphenols, which are omnipresent in green tea. In 2008, British researchers from the University of Newcastle found that volunteers who took five tablespoons of tomato paste daily for 12 weeks, and were then exposed to UVA light, had 33 percent more protection against sunburn than the control group; they also had higher levels of pro-collagen, a molecule that gives skin elasticity. While much of the research on green tea has involved topical applications, some animal studies suggest that ingesting green tea also may help protect skin against sun damage. Stay tuned for more research.
Good fats: We’ve all heard how we should eat more fatty fish, such as salmon, and/or add a fish oil supplement to our diet. In addition to having antioxidant properties and hydrating skin cells, essential fatty acids such as omega 3—commonly found in fish, olive oil, flax seeds and walnuts—help create a protective layer that shields against environmental stresses and holds in moisture, Van Raes advises. Logan adds that these essential fatty acids can also quell inflammation, which can swell tiny red capillaries on the skin’s surface and prompt red patches, or hasten wrinkles by first stretching, then shrinking, the skin. Too, omega 3 consumption is believed to reduce excess sebum production in pores, which can aggravate acne. Essential fatty acids also are good hormone regulators, moderating the breakouts that can occur in premenstrual women. Research in a 2007 issue of The Journal of Clinical Nutrition even found that higher intake of linoleic acid, found in fatty fish, may be associated with reduced risk of age-related dryness and thinning of the skin. Stay hydrated: Drinking six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day plumps skin cells, leading to a smoother look. Cut carbs: Experts say a diet of highly refined carbohydrates (think white bread and spaghetti) is often the culprit for an array of skin problems: It spikes the blood sugar, leading to increased insulin production, which in turn throws the balance of testosterone and estrogen out of whack and disrupts the delicate balance of oils in the skin, making it too dry or
too oily. Hormone imbalances also can fuel acne. For instance, Van Raes observes, a woman with excess testosterone might experience breakouts along her jaw line. One 2007 study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 43 acne patients who went on a diet low in processed grains for 12 weeks decreased their pimples by nearly twice as much as the control group. Another report that same year, in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that those who ate more refined carbs had more wrinkles and skin atrophy, a culprit in sagging skin. Consider allergies: Logan and Van Raes both note that skin problems, such as itchy rashes, often can result from food sensitivities. For instance, when gluten-sensitive people eat wheat, their body becomes flooded with inflammatory chemicals, called cytokines, which can swell skin and promote acne, redness and wrinkling. According to a 2006 research review, gluten-sensitivity has been linked with 21 chronic skin disorders, from psoriasis to hair loss. Meanwhile, two recent studies by Harvard researchers showed a significant link between milk consumption and acne in teens. Logan recommends eliminating the suspicious food (be it milk or wheat) for three months and then, slowly reintroducing it. This can help reveal if it, indeed, is a culprit that needs to be replaced with a skin-healthy option. Lisa Marshall is a freelance writer in Estes Park, CO. Connect at LisaAnnMarshall.com.
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Awakening Consciousness
Bold New Visions for Us, the Earth and the Universe
by Barbara Amrhein
“Identify yourself with the whole of mankind. Everyone who wills can hear the inner voice. It is within everyone.” ~ Mohandas Gandhi
I
n our emerging global community, the digital age has propelled us, with ever-increasing velocity, towards a world that seems at once limitless and all-encompassing, yet infinitely smaller and more fragile than previously imagined. Events that a few decades ago may have aroused a nation’s compassion or concern—drought in Asia, nuclear power plants in Russia and Europe, political upheavals in Africa—now have a recognized potential to affect every world citizen, both physically and spiritually. Today, as we text and Twitter, blog and link in to Facebook, MySpace, Badoo, Bebo and dozens of other social networking websites, we create instant communications that span continents, cross cultural barriers and bridge political divides. We awaken consciousness and forge connections. Such connections are becoming the warp and weft of a universal fabric, weaving us all together. Now, inspired organizations are deftly exploring, encouraging and researching the global awakening that accompanies them. One of the better-known is the Fetzer Institute (Fetzer. org), in Kalamazoo, Michigan. A privately operating foundation, the institute is on a course to foster awareness of the power of love and forgiveness in the emerging global community, through research, education and service programs. This mission, according to Fetzer’s website, “rests on our conviction that efforts to address the world’s critical issues
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must go beyond political, social and economic strategies to their psychological and spiritual roots.” In late 2000, the Fetzer Institute supported an initiative investigating the current character of group and collective consciousness, the Collective Wisdom Initiative (CollectiveWisdomInitiative.org). The website is a dynamic clearinghouse for information, insight and individuals, all linked within the emerging field of collective wisdom. The organization’s motto, “Together, We Can Know More,” sums up its credo that to succeed, the quest requires a partnership between scientific processes and wisdom traditions. Robert Kenney, Ph.D., a Fetzer Institute fellow and faculty member of the California Institute of Integral Studies, discusses his vision of collective consciousness: “By coming together in groups to consciously generate collective wisdom, we believe we have the potential to heal conflicts that seem impossible to heal; embrace with compassion, polarities and paradoxes that tear the fabric of our psyches and communities; and cultivate our capacities to love and forgive in groups splintered and polarized.” He explains that as people come together as artists, educators, mystics, practical idealists, scholars, activists and especially, pragmatists, we bring forward some of our own light, seeking to do together what is not possible alone.
Heeding Our Inner Voice The Global Oneness Project (GlobalOnenessProject.org), a nonprofit organization that produces films and Web-based multimedia featuring scores of world thinkers and visionaries, is exploring how the radically simple notion of interconnectedness can best be lived in an increasingly complex world. Since 2006, the nonprofit’s staff and volunteers have circled the globe, gathering and telling stories of creative, courageous people who believe that we bear responsibility for each other and Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee our shared world. Founder and Director Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, a producer, director, composer, musician and practicing Sufi, is the son of renowned Sufi teacher and author Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee. While working on the film One: The Movie, in 2005, Vaughan-Lee the younger says he was struck by the response to the film’s focus on unity. “People from all walks of life and backgrounds were telling me they wanted to see more of this. So we developed the Global Oneness Project to explore how people around the world were applying a unitive consciousness to practical problems within their local and global communities.” One of the project’s online interviews, among several
“We always divide the world into little pieces, and we think that this camera, for instance, [the journalist’s camera or some other inanimate object] is isolated from the wholeness. It is isolated because it has no consciousness. But if you go into the deep consciousness, there is no separateness. There can’t be.”
~ Vera Kohn, community leader, psychologist and Zen teacher
highlighted here, shares the perspective of Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa, a Zulu sangoma (traditional healer) from South Africa. “We must awaken the Mother Mind within each human being,” advises Mutwa, author of several books on African mythology and spiritual beliefs and well-known for his work in nature conservation. “Every human being has two minds: the Mother Mind and the Warrior Mind,” Mutwa continues. The Warrior Mind looks at things logically and says, “Two plus two is four.” But
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the Mother Mind does not think in a straight line; rather, it thinks sideways and upwards and downwards. “We must awaken the Mother Mind within us. We must feel what is going on in the world,” he urges. “We mustn’t just listen to newspapers. “It is said by our Zulu people that women think with their pelvic area, where children grow and are born. We must think that way,” explains Mutwa. “I must no longer look at a tree [and see simply a tree], I must see a living entity like me. I must no longer look at a stone as just a stone, but I must see the future lying dormant in that stone.” Bob Randall, another Global Oneness participant, is a Yankunytjatjara elder and a traditional owner of Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia. Randall is one of the Stolen Generation of the Aboriginal people, taken from his family at age seven. Throughout his life, he has worked as a teacher and leader for Aboriginal land rights, education, community development and cultural awareness. He expresses the awakened consciousness of oneness simply: “The land owns us.” “Life is the binding and the connecting way, the oneness—if you’re alive, you’re connected to everything else that is alive,” Randall avers. “Our [Aboriginal] relationship to the land is different Bob Randall from the English [nonAboriginal] way—the land owns us. The land grows all of us up. No human is older than the land itself.” Thus, he observes, Aborigines have a caring, unconditional love and responsibility for the land. “You feel good when you’re in that space—you feel like you’re living with family,” is how he expresses this intimate relationship. Randall’s expansive smile and contented, warm radiance accompany his words. “When you include everything that is alive in that space—and that is a huge space—it is a beautiful way of being. It doesn’t push anyone out, but brings everybody in. And this completeness of being who you are, where you are, is a beautiful feeling.”
Listening with the Heart Bringing everyone in represents the life work of Ibtisam Mahameed, a Palestinian peaceworker on the board of Middleway, a non-governmental organization (NGO) promoting compassion and nonviolence. A Muslim, Mahameed embodies interfaith respect and understanding in her bid for global oneness, encouraging Palestinian, Jewish, Druze and Christian women to learn about each other’s religions and cultures. She asks us all to learn the language of mutual love. “First,” advises Mahameed, “we have to learn about all the principles found in the world. As a Muslim, Arab, Palestinian woman, I know my principles. But I don’t know yours.
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In order for me to understand your principles, I should ask you about them, and understand what they are.” Next, we need to learn mutual respect from each other, urges Mahameed. We need to know how to listen, not with our ears, but with our hearts. “I should tell you that I want to give you Ibtisam Mahameed my hand, not to betray you, but to say you are welcome in my home. I shall like to visit you at your home, to hear more from you and to hear more about the world. This is what I call the ‘language of mutual love in the world.’”
One Mind, or Electronic Membrane This universal language already speaks intuitively to thousands, though skeptics may dismiss the concept as a gossamer New Age theory. If, indeed, such global connectivity exists, can it be scientifically proven? The research of Dean Radin, Ph.D., a laboratory scientist and author in the field of parapsychology, may provide some preliminary answers. Radin discusses the possibility of a global mind and whether that global mind could “wake up.” He suggests that, with the Internet, humans may be approaching a system sophisticated enough to carry the electronic membrane, or “brain,” of a global self-awareness. Radin’s Global Consciousness Project has tested the relationship between mind and matter to determine whether collective human attention corresponds to a change in the physical environment. Intriguingly, it does. (More at http:// globalonenessproject. org/videos/deanradinclip8.) “We have six billion or so people in the world… and there is already some experimental evidence suggesting that there is something like a global mind reaction to large-scale world events,” remarks Radin. The Global Dean Radin, Ph.D. Consciousness Project has empirical markers for 200 major events [including the televised courtroom verdict of the O.J. Simpson murder trial and 9-11 attacks] that have attracted attention around the world. “We find changes in the physical environment as a result of that attention—changes that, by any conventional theory, shouldn’t be there,” says Radin.
“And yet, they are there.” At this point, scientists haven’t concluded that a global mind exists, but if evidence is suggesting that something strange is going on—“then maybe the mind of Gaia is waking up,” Radin reasons. “Or, maybe… there has always been a giant mind, but we weren’t quite clever enough, until just now, to begin to get an inkling that maybe that was what was going on.”
“As a species, for the last 35,000 years, we’ve been pulling back from nature. We’ve been differentiating ourselves and cultivating our capacity to stand apart from nature, to know or empower our uniqueness as hunter-gatherers, as farmers, as industrialists. But now… we’re beginning to see that the world is a living, integrated system. We need to turn from separatism to communion [in] an extraordinary transition in the life of our planet.”
~ Duane Elgin, activist
Shifting Societal Structures American spiritual teacher, activist and artist angel Kyodo williams believes a shared collective consciousness—and conscience—can benefit all of humanity. This founder of the new Center for Urban Peace and author of Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace, reminds us that societies can change on a massive scale. She speaks of how we can replace the view of separation: “That view can be shifted [exchanged] as no longer the acceptable way in which we do things, in the same way that we no longer accept slavery. That was an economic choice— how will I get my cotton picked if I don’t have slaves, that’s just impossible, I can’t give that up. Well, we’ve had changes in society that said, you will have to find another way. We have to make the structures of society unwilling to bear separation as a way of approaching things, individualism as a way of approaching things.” That united commitment is crucial. angel Kyodo williams
“We are participants in a process that will always be larger than our imagination or our best sciences can fully explain,” advises Mary Evelyn Tucker, a senior lecturer and senior scholar at Yale University. “‘Can we evolve fast enough?’ is a critical question.”
Summoning Spirituality Tucker, who is active in Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, as well as its Divinity School and department of religious studies, has authored many books, including Worldly Wonder: Religions Enter Their Ecological Phase. She focuses on the vital role of spirituality in her Global Oneness interview and is prominently featured in a newly released film, A Thousand Suns, which PBS will broadcast in early 2010. “I do sense that the possibility for human evolution, human consciousness, is absolutely at hand,” says Tucker. “These alternative ways of being that have grown in Mary Evelyn Tucker the periphery of our societies and other societies around the world are coming into the center, are being valued: ecological economics, green politics, alternative technologies, sustainable farming and food. All these suggest that this evolution is very much in progress. If we have a reverence and respect for moving it forward with deep spiritual strength and grounding, I think we can do it.” Sufi teacher, dreamworker and author Llewellyn VaughanLee, Ph.D., concurs with Tucker’s emphasis on the importance of calling upon spiritual grace (visit http://globalonenessproject.org/videos/lvlclip4). He writes and lectures extensively on the emerging global consciousness of oneness and our individual spiritual responsibility during this time of transition. The world is going through a time of crisis, and during any time of crisis, there is the possibility for transformation, Vaughan-Lee the elder asserts. The good news is that, “Many people around the world are committed to this work of oneness on financial, ecological and cultural levels,” he explains. “There are many, many fields in which humanity is coming together in new ways… “But what I have found lacking in a lot of approaches is that they think we have to do it all ourselves. And I think we need the help of God. I think we can participate; I think we can be attentive, receptive, for when the Divine comes. Can we do it ourselves? No. Can we wake up the world? No. But we can be ready, waiting and prepared.” Story Source: For more information and video interviews, visit GlobalOnenessProject.org. Barbara Amrhein is an editor with Natural Awakenings magazines. December 2009
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An Interview with Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee Director of the Global Oneness Project by Barbara Amrhein
S
ince founding the Global Oneness Project in 2005, Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee has professionally directed and produced 26 short films that have been widely distributed online and aired on LINK TV, Current TV and PBS. Vaughan-Lee and his team have traveled the world, seeking out stories and teachings from leading thinkers whose work and activities emphasize oneness with other people, animals and nature. The Global Oneness Project is exploring how the radically simple notion of interconnectedness can be made practical for daily living in an increasingly complex world.
An obvious, common theme is that people have had enough of the current greed-based, commercialized, materialistic monoculture that is destroying their cultures, regional biodiversity, ecosystems and languages. They are standing up to this and saying they don’t want to be part of that story. They are telling a new narrative, one that respects diversity, sees the Earth as alive and sacred and understands that the values of respect, compassion, tolerance, stewardship and generosity must not just be ideals we aspire to, but ideals that we live and incorporate into our systems.
Q. Your video at GlobalOnenessProject.org/videos/whatwoulditlooklike questions the way we live now. How do you envision humanity’s future?
Q. What is the best way for people of all ages, from all walks of life, to reach out to one another and participate in making oneness real?
I feel that humanity is at a crossroads, and how we respond to the global environmental crisis during the next two decades will define whether our current civilization will be able to evolve or will fail. Within this crisis is a tremendous opportunity for individuals, communities, organizations and governments to step into a more expansive consciousness that focuses on the needs of the planet, other people and our children and grandchildren’s future. Taking the focus away from the “I” to the “We” on a collective level would be a tremendous step in our evolution. If this can happen—and it needs to happen—then we could be living a much higher potential than we are now.
Taking actions suggested by our educational and online community programs, when they launch early next year, will give people many ways to get involved. At present, we encourage everyone to join in our online dialogues and host a pay-itforward Global Oneness DVD screening. We will ship a DVD anywhere in the world for free, if you agree to gather 10 or more people in your home, office, church, community center or theater, and screen the film. When done, we ask that you pass the DVD along, asking the next recipients to do the same.
Q. You and your team have interviewed hundreds of people from many countries and cultures. What common themes and ideals are you hearing?
The Three Domains of Oneness
n Of the Earth, living sustainably.
n Of the human family, living compassionately and at peace with one another.
n Of the Universe, living at one with the sacred system of which we are a part.
~ Duane Elgin, author, Promise Ahead: A Vision of Hope and Action for Humanity’s Future
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Q. How has the Global Oneness Project benefited those you interview on-camera, who are often activists working to effect compassionate change that aids people and the planet? Several of our video interview and film subjects have received additional mainstream media attention after we spotlighted their work. This attention has helped them raise funds, win credibility in their own communities and spread their ideas to other communities around the world. Many of these activists also run non-government organizations, which have consequently received additional funding from individuals and foundations. Most importantly, I think sharing their stories and seeing the response from people around the world has made them feel like they are part of a global community, a global movement that helps invigorate their work and gives them a new level of support. Q. What is the source of your hope? My children give me hope, because I look at them and see a new generation that might get a chance to live in a world that is not so distorted and destroyed. I also find hope in people I’ve met these past few years who, despite all odds, live and work in a way that respects others and the Earth. Their courage inspires us all.
Where to Explore Global Unity Global Coherence Initiative (GLCoherence.org) – A science-based initiative uniting millions of people in heart-focused care and intention to shift global consciousness from instability and discord to balance, cooperation and enduring peace. Global MindShift (Global-MindShift.org) – Online discussions describe humanity’s evolutionary journey and the creation of global community. Global Oneness Project (GlobalOnenessProject. org) – This nonprofit produces films and Web-based multimedia featuring world thinkers and visionaries and explores how the radically simple notion of interconnectedness can best be lived in an increasingly complex world. Karma Tube (KarmaTube.org) – Short, “do something,” videos suggest simple actions that every viewer can take. Their motto: “Be the change.”
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Peace One Day (PeaceOneDay.org) – The organizing catalyst behind the United Nations’ adoption of September 21 as an annual Peace Day promotes global ceasefire and nonviolence. The nonprofit is working to introduce 3 billion people to Peace Day by 2012. Project Happiness (ProjectHappiness.org) – Youthbased initiative offers online and school projects designed to inspire and empower individuals to create greater happiness within themselves and in the world. Endorsed by the Dalai Lama. The Vision Project (VisionProject.org) – This nonprofit initiative produces documentary material and educational programs to encourage understanding and awareness about a broad range of social issues, with a particular focus on younger generations. World of Good (WorldOfGood.com) – eBay’s online marketplace convenes thousands of eco-positive buyers and sellers. Independent verifications assess the positive impact that every product offered has on people and the planet.
December 2009
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Many people dread the approach of the holidays; a season that should be the most relaxed, intimate, joyful and spiritual time of the year. Author Bill McKibben offers welcome perspective for rethinking the Yuletide season, so that our obsession with buying presents becomes less important than soul-nourishing traditions and celebrations.
“T
he only name I have ever been called that really stung was ‘Grinch’, remarks McKibben. That was the year he and a few friends started the Hundred Dollar Holiday program through their neighborhood churches. They simply asked families and friends to limit the amount of money spent on the holiday to $100. Local business columnists didn’t get it. Instead, they charged them with being dour do-gooders, bent on taking the joy out of Christmas. “As in the classic, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, they foresaw us robbing the town of its packages, tinsel, trees and food, down to the logs in the fireplace,” he says. “But, the Grinches of our culture really are those relentless commercial
Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
forces that have spent a century trying to convince us that Christmas does come from a store, catalog and virtual Internet mall. “We thought we wanted less for Christmas, remarks McKibben, “but in fact, we wanted more... we wanted this to be a more special time.” Relatively few Americans need more stuff. Most of us are looking for more meaning at this time of year. Many of the best traditions of Christmas and other holidays predate society’s current commercial celebrations. Customs that connect us with others, such as singing carols, laughing around the table and special family activities are among the things we need to recapture as we invent new, more deeply felt moments of celebration.
Like the Grinch, we too, come to realize that Christmas comes from no store. As the book reveals, “It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!”
Relatively few Americans need more stuff. Most of us are looking for more meaning at this time of year. McKibben explains that the message of the Hundred Dollar Holiday went deeper. It was conceived out of concern for the poor families who need help to survive and those going into debt in pursuit of a ‘proper’ Christmas. Too many of us have seen how holiday binge buying can encourage a lack of fiscal responsibility and even contribute to bankruptcy. Yet, the inner craving for satisfaction often eludes us. Mere possessions cannot make our lives whole or fill the need for communication and unity. Although we may know this intellectually, the psychological force wielded by merchandisers has made a science of manipulating our feelings. We’re caffeinated, buzzed, wired and plugged-in, 24/7. All the stuff we accumulate has an enormous effect on the environment, too. Earth is suffering from the resulting pollution. According to the Worldwatch Institute, North Americans have used more natural resources since the end of World War II than all of humanity throughout history. If there’s one thing we’d really like to experience this Christmas, it’s a little of that season of sacred peace that the greeting cards and Silent Night promise. “For me, the moment when we sing this carol each year at the end of the Christmas Eve service, with the lights out and everyone holding a candle that frames their face with soft light, marks the absolute height of Christmas joy,” notes McKibben. “It doesn’t cost a nickel, let alone a hundred dollars.” Bill McKibben has been an American environmentalist and author for 20 years. His book, Hundred Dollar Holiday, offers tips for giving one another the priceless gifts of time, attention and fellowship.
Every man dies. Not every man really lives. ~ William Wallace December 2009
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T
he spirit of the holiday season ignites a sense of gratitude, love, generosity, compassion and wonder in our hearts, from the moment family and friends gather around the Thanksgiving table. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, the days become a string of magical times, when strangers offer smiles, kind gestures and a level of generosity that evokes deep feelings of love for all humanity. This month, Natural Awakenings queried seven local individuals who intentionally keep this spirit alive throughout the year, for insights on how others can do the same. Marketing consultant, Deanna Mims finds joy in giving generously all year round. For me, holidays mean there is extra magic in the air, excited anticipation greets every day, and people are more generous about connecting - with strangers, friends, colleagues, family, partners-to-be. My business values are to try and really listen to people’s stories and motivations, joys and challenges; to share resources freely, and to collaborate creatively. I try to never leave a meeting without contributing some little takeaway gift – A helpful tip or trick, a great book recommendation, a phone number of a wonderful colleague, a strategy, empathy or some heartfelt cheerleading. The secret is that it’s really a gift to myself, and my energy level, to make those special connections, all year long. Dr. Darlene Treese, hypnotherapist and life coaching professional, shares love and generosity with family and strangers alike. One hot summer day my son Craig and I were both having a “terrible, horrible, no good very bad day” - everything
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seemed to be going wrong and all actions to create better realities were stymied. So we decided to pretend it was Christmas. We bought a small plant, stopped at an assisted living facility and asked the receptionist if there was someone who would like to celebrate with us. She was delighted to introduce us to a wonderful woman with great life experiences and wisdom but few visitors since she had no family in town. That was the day we re-learned that the best way to fill a void is to give what is perceived to be missing and that the smallest act of kindness multiplies beyond measure for both the giver and receiver...no matter what time of year, the magic continues. Tallahassee Senior Center Health Program Coordinator, Ruth Nickens, helps local seniors find fun and wellness everyday. The Tallahassee Senior Center keeps the holiday spirit alive all year by celebrating every single day all the riches that life has to offer. Our mission is to provide educational, recreational, wellness, fitness, and social programs to older adults, thereby keeping them active, independent, and emotionally and socially fulfilled. Every participant is loved, treated with respect, and afforded help with all of their needs and life transitions. We believe that life is fun, so we also host a multitude of special events, parties, dances and concerts throughout the year. The richness of life... What greater gift could there be? John Springer, co-facilitator of Enchanted Walkabouts believes in preserving and honoring the Earth every day. Throughout our Enchanted Walkabouts we encourage everyone to acknowledge God and Spirit in everything, since everything has a God-Consciousness and connection. We thank, bless and talk to the trees, to the flowers, to the rain, to the sun, to the wind, to the animals, to the birds and all realms of creation. We are meant to be the Stewards of the Earth, so let’s embrace our role. We must stop abusing and ignoring the needs of our Mother and embrace her with Love and Appreciation each and every day. Always Be In Joy! Life and Business Coach Elizabeth Barbour, practices a positive state of mind all year.
Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
To me, the holiday spirit is about celebrating the joys in life! I start off all of my individual and group coaching sessions by celebrating my clients’ successes. We review what went right and focus our attention on the positive. I also encourage my clients to incorporate a daily gratitude ritual into their lives through journaling, meditation, prayer or time in nature ~ whatever feels good to help them connect with that positive vibration. At home, my husband and I say grace together every night before dinner. It’s a wonderful time to stop and express gratitude for all of the blessings ~ love, health, family, friends, meaningful work and more! Emma Cornwell, co-owner of PAWS Pet boutique, encourages people to find unconditional love through pet ownership. Pets teach us that everyday should be treated like a holiday. Living in the moment and loving the companionship of family and food! At PAWS we have a strong sense of community, supporting local pet rescues at their events and inviting them to our store for monthly fundraisers, so we can bring awareness to their cause and raise much needed donations for the care of many animals awaiting their forever homes. We also have a year round adoption board with profiles of wonderful dogs & cats that will brighten anyone’s day! Reverend Bill Williams of Unity of Tallahassee, practices what he preaches all throughout the year. At Unity of Tallahassee we encourage each other to remember who we are as God’s unique creations throughout the year. We are multi-faceted and multi-dimensional beings. To love and embrace all of who we are is the challenge we face on the journey through life. The holiday season heightens our awareness of parts of ourselves we might have forgotten or ignored. We are created to give, to sing, to rejoice with life all around us. The holidays help us remember this. During the rest of year, we come together in community, connecting with one another endeavoring to celebrate who we are created to be at all times of the year.
charityspotlight
One Stitch At a Time
“Sew For HOPE” Inspires a Community
W
hen Cynthia Seyler was seeking a career change in the fall of 2008, she decided to combine her love of quilting with a business venture. “I’d been quilting for about 10 years and I loved it so much I thought maybe I can make a business out of this, with a charity aspect,” she says. Not only did she form her own quilting company, but on the side, she decided to donate every 10th quilt she made to a local charity. “I sent out a mass email asking if any place would like a quilt. A director from a homeless coalition said ‘We’d love to have your quilts,” recalls Seyler. And from that email, Seyler brought together community members who enjoy sewing and also wanted to get involved with a charity. Seyler decided to form “Sew for HOPE”, a community-based nonprofit group affiliated with the Big Bend Homeless Coalition (BBHC) in Tallahassee. Together, with residents of HOPE, Seyler and her fellow quilters sew quilts, blankets, stuffed animals, and similar items for Tallahassee’s homeless children served by BBHC. HOPE stands for “Housing Opportuni-
By Rachel Sokol ties and Personal Empowerment,” and the HOPE Community is one way the BBHC reaches out to those in need, and is a joint effort between the Coalition and the City of Tallahassee. HOPE offers transitional housing and supportive services to more than 150 men, women, and children in the Tallahassee/ Leon County area. At any given time, approximately twenty to thirty children under age 18 will come through the BBHC. When Seyler heard this, she was determined to provide each one of these children with their own quilt. Sew for HOPE always meets the second Tuesday of the month in the BBHC cafeteria. “We are not a closed group like a ‘sit-and -stitch.’ Interested persons are always welcome and experience is not required,” says Seyler. “We have fun while making quilts and blankets for the children residing at HOPE Communities here in Tallahassee.” According to Seyler, at their most recent meeting, the Sew for HOPE members had eleven volunteers and five visitors. The activities included sewing, crocheting, machine quilting, hand tying quilts, laughing, making doll clothes, teaching, cutting fabric, helping, coordinating fabrics and more. “At the end of our October meeting, we turned in three Afghans, one double bed quilt, four baby quilts and a handmade denim doll,” says Seyler. The Sew for HOPE volunteers,
many of whom have been sewing for years, generally donate all the blankets they make and collect to the BBHC administrators who, in turn, distribute the blankets among the children staying on-site, and keep track of which children received a blanket and which ones did not. During their monthly meetings, Seyler and her volunteers always invite adults and children temporarily residing at the BBHC and its communities into the cafeteria to help to sew and learn about fabrics. “We never know what’s going to happen month to month. We have books and toys and stuffed animals for younger kids, and some older kids like to watch us sew,” says Seyler. “Some parents want to make a quilt for their kids, so we’ll give them some fleece blankets to work with. Other residents who want to help us will sometimes sort fabric. And if they want to use a sewing machine, we let them.” Sew for HOPE has approximately eight donated sewing machines which they set up at meetings for quilt sewing. They’ve even given some machines away to former residents who moved into a new home or apartment and want to sew on their own. Although Seyler and her volunteers already have an abundance of donated fabric, she wants Tallahassee residents to know Sew for HOPE also takes donations of handmade quilts and blankets from caring individuals who love to sew (quilt, knit, crochet, etc), but who are unable to meet with them in any given month. “We’ll make something out of anything—even if we have just a small amount of a certain type of fabric, we’ll use it to make preemie blankets,” says Seyler. Seyler says what she loves the most about the organization, besides providing the homeless community with blankets and quilts they can call their own, is looking around the cafeteria at monthly meetings and seeing a group of residents working with volunteers. “We’ll look at each other across the room and just smile,” she says. “Sew for HOPE” provides warmth, comfort, and love to those who need it most. We take fabric that other people don’t need any more and put it to good use. And I just love it.” For more info about Sew for HOPE, call Cynthia Seyler at 850-539-5558 or visit http://sewforhopenow.com.
December 2009
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Advertisers – up to 5 free listings. Non-advertisers - $5 per listing to the Calendar of Events and $3 to the Ongoing Calendar. No charge for free community event listings (limits apply). Email events to TallaEditor@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.
Wednesday, December 2 Energy Healing - 7:45-9:00 pm ∙ FREE. This seminar explains the system of energy healing developed by Donna Eden, author of Energy Medicine. After years of experience, Eden has developed over a hundred self-care techniques. These energy-healing techniques are gentle and non-invasive and can easily become part of your everyday routine. Angele LaGrave, LMT, will teach Donna’s Daily Energy Routine® to help you boost vitality and stamina. For more information on Eden, visit www.eomega.org.
Thursday, December 3 Make Your Own Kimchee - 7:45-9:00 pm ∙ FREE. Kimchee, a pro-biotic pickled vegetable condiment from Korea, can be easily made at home. Kimchee promotes healthy digestion and is delicious with rice and many other foods. Learn how to make your own with Whole Foods Educator Jill Welch. Each participant will take home a free jar of kimchee. This is a hands-on workshop, so bring your apron! The Manhattan Transfer in Concert at Thomasville Cultural Center. Featuring Cheryl Bentyne, Janis Siegel, Tim Hauser and Alan Paul 8 PM. $35 Adults, $15 Students. Embracing a broad range of musical styles, this popular vocal quartet continues to enthrall audiences around the world with their Grammy Award-winning recordings and electrifying live performances. A Thomasville Entertainment Foundation 20092010 Artist Series Event! 600 E. Washington St, (229) 226-7404, www.tefconcerts.com.
Friday, December 4 The Nutcracker - presented by: The Tallahassee Ballet. 8pm, at the Leon County Civic Center.
December brings a beloved holiday tradition - The Nutcracker, a treasured classic. The Tallahassee Ballet delights audiences of all ages from the moment the curtain rises. Joining Clara on her magical journey to the Kingdom of Sweets, audiences are dazzled by stunning dancing, enchanting sets and costumes. This year’s Nutcracker promises to indulge spectators with special surprises within this classic favorite. www. TallahasseeBallet.org or call us at (850) 224-6917 ext.2. Meet the Artist’s Night at downtown Sopchoppy, from 5 – 10pm. Luminary Bags Will Guide You to Participating Downtown Businesses! Businesses will be open later and festively decorated for the holiday season offering Complimentary Beverages & Hors d’oeuvres, Live Ambient Music, Additional Works Exhibited, Free Door Prizes, Various Discounts and Onsite Artists.
Saturday, December 5 Alternative Christmas Market at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 9am to 4pm. More than 40 nonprofit charitable organizations will be represented at the market. The Wesley United Methodist Church is located at 1689 Old Saint Augustine Road. See Newsbrief. Raw Food Workshop conducted by Nell Corry. The cost is $50, payable before the workshop to reserve your space. Location will be at Keller Williams Town and Country Realty, from 1-4 PM. We will make and sample delicious holiday delicacies that are good for you and are ALL UNCOOKED, so your body gets the enzymes, vitamins and balancing nutrients it needs for perfect health. This will be a hands-on, hands-in class, so come prepared to have a lot of fun and enjoy the sensual, tactile process of making the healthiest most delicious food ever! To register, please respond to alivenraw@gmail.com, or phone at 8779086. Space is limited.
Breakfast with Santa at Thomasville Cultural Center. A Christmas tradition at the Thomasville Cultural Center and a perfect way to kick off the holiday season with your children. Come early at 8:30AM or sleep in and join us at 10:30AM. Children will enjoy a delicious breakfast, holiday music, a sampling from The Nutcracker performed by South Georgia Ballet, a take-home craft and, best of all, an opportunity to visit with Santa! Tickets $5 pp, 600 E. Washington St., for information call (229) 226-0588 or visit www.thomasvilleculturalcenter.org. Fitness Classes & Low Back Injury Prevention Workshop...FREE. GroupFit Studio will be offering FREE group exercise classes for the community as apart of our First Saturdays Community Fitness events, every First Saturday of each month. Come try FitCamp, a strength and weightloss class (9:00am); Pilates (10:00am); Dance Trance, aerobic dance fitness (11:00am); and Kickboxing (12:00pm). GroupFit Studio, 1836 Thomasville Rd in the Capital Plaza (850)561-0002 www.groupfitstudio.com The Nutcracker - presented by: The Tallahassee Ballet. 10:30am, at the Leon County Civic Center. A special abbreviated children’s version. There will also be a full version at 2:30pm. All tickets may be purchased at the Leon County Civic Center. This year’s Nutcracker promises to indulge spectators with special surprises within this classic favorite. www.TallahasseeBallet.org or call us at (850) 2246917 ext.2. Holiday Magic! Concert by the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra’s signals the start of the holidays and brings the season alive with music. The concert will be held at the North Florida Baptist Church at 8:00pm.
Sunday, December 6 Alternative Christmas Market at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 1pm to 4pm. More than 40 nonprofit charitable organizations will be represented at the market. The Wesley United Methodist Church is located at 1689 Old Saint Augustine Road. See Newsbrief.
Monday, December 7 The Art of Breathing ∙ 7:45-8:45 pm ∙ FREE! Join Bridget Kamke, LMT, for a demonstration of breathing consciously and properly for optimum health. You will learn the physical and mental benefits of deep breathing, and experience several yogic breathing techniques to rejuvenate your body, refresh your mind and give you a deeper connection with yourself. Bridget has been practicing massage therapy and Kundalini Yoga for ten years.
Tuesday, December 8 Wellness Wisdom lecture by Alice McCall. 7:008:30pm at the Healing Arts Alliance meeting at Dr. John Ness office at 616 Universal Drive. See Newsbrief. Thomasville Music and Drama Troupe Annual Christmas Show. 8 pm. An annual tradition for more than 30 years, this event is sure to please with a variety of entertainment performed by 125 of the area’s most talented young people! The show features secular and sacred Christmas music ~ A perfect start to the holiday season. Thomasville Municipal
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Auditorium, 144 E. Jackson St. For Tickets call Troupe Office (229) 558-9470.
Wednesday, December 9 The Greening Clean Kit—The Gift that Gives Back - 7:45-9:00 pm ∙ FREE! One free green cleaning kit will be raffled off to those who attend! A green cleaning kit is a great gift for anyone. Green cleaning is safe for all people and their pets. Reenie Rogers, professional green cleaner, will show you how to assemble a kit and provide literature with great recipes for simple, effective cleaning products. By cleaning green you will also give a gift to the earth for all time. Wellness Wisdom lecture by Alice McCall. 6:308:00pm at the Crystal Connection at 1105 Apalachee Parkway. See Newsbrief.
during Victorian Christmas! All seats General Admission ~ $5pp, Sold at door or online at www. sgpa.us or (229) 378-ARTS. Performance held at Thomasville Municipal Auditorium, 144 E. Jackson St., Corner Jackson St, (US 319) and Crawford St. in Downtown Thomasville.
Saturday, December 12 HAPPY HANUKKAH!! The Nutcracker by South Georgia Ballet. Enjoy this holiday favorite performed by the South Georgia Ballet in cooperation with South Georgia Performing Arts. Special group matinees Friday. Reserve by calling or visit SGPA online. Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m., Thomasville Municipal Auditorium, 144 E. Jackson St. Reserved Seating Available, SGPA (229) 378-ARTS, www.sgpa.us.
Thursday, December 10
Scrooge, A Christmas Story at Thomasville On Stage & Company (TOSAC) Theater. December 12 & 13 and December 17, 18, 19 & 20 – All performances at 8 PM except Sunday performances at 2 PM. Written by Charles Dickens and Adapted and Directed by David Null - A Christmas Carol is the classic tale about the old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge who becomes a changed man after visitations from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future all pay him a visit. TOSAC Storefront Theater, 117 S. Broad St. (229) 226-0863, www.tosac.com.
Sunday, December 13 The Nutcracker by South Georgia Ballet. - Children’s Parade of Sweets Tea will be held Sunday at 1:30 PM. Thomasville Municipal Auditorium, 144 E. Jackson St., Reserved Seating Available, SGPA (229) 378-ARTS, www.sgpa.us.
Don’t Let the Holidays Turn You Upside Down!
Living Food Group – 6pm potluck, 7pm Testimonials. Speaker to be announced. All meetings are held in the Fellowship Hall of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 618 Capital Circle, NE., across from the Federal Correctional Institute. If any questions, please give Terri Olsen a call at 850-567-5200.
Please visit our website for upcoming workshops:
www.kaiyoga.net
Delicious and Healthy Holidays - 7:45-9:00 pm ∙ FREE! Parties are a part of the season, but they don’t have to be unhealthy. Ahzel Ackerman, holistic health counselor and certified personal trainer, will prepare some delicious, healthy snacks and dishes for the season’s festivities. Recipes and samples will be provided.
Upcoming Workshops! Ayurvedic Week-end January 30 & 31, 2010
Victorian Christmas in Downtown Thomasville. 6 PM – 10 PM. (Thursday and Friday) Historic Downtown Thomasville and the award winning “Great American Main Street City” invites you to come and make a memory this Christmas season! Take an unforgettable journey back in time to 1890s when life was simple and true Christmas spirit reigned. Enjoy horse drawn carriages, strolling carolers, holiday shopping, dancers, musicians, museums, food and holiday delicacies, and of course, St. Nicholas! Most events free! For more information contact (229)2277020 or visit www.downtownthomasville.com.
Cora Wen March 26 - 28, 2010 629-C N. Westover Blvd. • Albany • (229) 888-2435 Remember, Albany is just 1 1/2 hrs from Tallahassee.
Friday, December 11 Couples Beach Getaway & Workshop: 7:30pm - Sun 1:45pm. Transform your relationship into a love affair. Deepen intimacy and passion. Discover Tantra. $595/couple. Richard & Diana Daffner , Siesta Key Beach , Sarasota . www. IntimacyRetreats.com. Other dates, locations, brochure. 1-877-282-4244. Victorian Christmas in Downtown Thomasville. 6 PM – 10 PM. (Thursday and Friday) Historic Downtown Thomasville and the award winning “Great American Main Street City” invites you to come and make a memory this Christmas season! Take an unforgettable journey back in time to 1890s when life was simple and true Christmas spirit reigned. Enjoy horse drawn carriages, strolling carolers, holiday shopping, dancers, musicians, museums, food and holiday delicacies, and of course, St. Nicholas! Most events free! For more information contact (229)2277020 or visit www.downtownthomasville.com. Jingle All The Way! by South Georgia Ballet. 7:30PM. A rousing holiday dance revue on Friday
FLOORING CENTER
Michelle Roberts (850) 599-2546 1516-B Capital Circle SE
(850) 877-6600
You stand on it. We stand behind it!! December 2009
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markyourcalendar Delicious and Healthy Holidays at O’Toole’s Herb Farm Open House Location: O’Toole’s Herb Farm: 305 NE Artemesia Trail, Madison, FL 32312, Saturday, December 5 - 1:00-2:00 pm - FREE..Sunday, December 6 - 1:00-2:00 pm - FREE. Join Holistic Health Counselor and Certified Personal Trainer Ahzel Ackerman on Saturday or Jill Welch, “The Kitchen Goddess,” on Sunday, for healthy holiday food demonstrations, samples and recipes.
Monday, December 14 Quick Pain Relief - 7:45-9:00 pm ∙ FREE! Join Rene Luna, licensed Physical Therapist of R & R Physical Therapy, Inc., as he demonstrates a natural and a quick way to relieve muscular and joint pain. He will introduce simple maneuvers and movement-specific exercises that anyone may use to help get rid of their pain. Rene also believes in empowering his patients with proactive therapy that makes them part of their own healing process. For more information, call 850-656-3163 or email rrptcrsi@aol.com. Seated massage by Bridget Kamke, LMT. 10:00 am – Noon Tallahassee Senior Center Health Suite.
Tuesday, December 15 The Avocado Roll - 7:45-8:45 pm $5 owners, $7 non-owners. Registration and pre-payment required. Limit 10. Join self-taught sushi expert, Barry Courtney, as he shares his enthusiasm for the avocado roll. Students will learn how to make
So are we.
We invite you to attend one of our Sunday services and receive a Free Book from our Bookstore on your first visit. Select from authors and titles such as: The Power of Now Eat Pray Love The Secret Wayne Dyer Deepak Chopra Eric Butterworth Pema Chodrin Kahlil Gibran Charles Fillmore Mary Ann Williamson Neale Donald Walsch Don Miguel Ruiz The Dalai Lama
www.unityoftallahassee.or g Just 1/2 mile off North Monroe on Crowder Road – See Website
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Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
sushi rice and practice rolling sushi. Yes, students can, and will, sample their creations!
ongoingcalendar
Wednesday, December 16
SUNDAY
Body Butter Me Up - Facilitated by Jennifer Kandel 5:45 p.m. -7:45 p.m. Cost: $20 + $20 for materials. Experience and blend all natural preservative free exotic body butters from around the world such as: mowrah, cupuacu, mango, kokum, avocado, shea, pumpkin, soy and more! In addition, learn about essential oils that can enhance your sensuality, vitality, and intuitive powers by creating massage oils that will send you or someone you love to bliss. But hurry, participation is limited to four women per workshop. Workshop offered at Crystal Connection (850) 878 -8500.
Qigong - Led by Dell Cates, licensed instructor. Every Sunday. 7 p.m. at Unity of Tallahassee, $7 fee per class. We are surrounded by life force, qi (or chi), and this energy is constantly available for our use. The practice of qigong increases the amount of qi we receive, by using the intent of mind, breathing, and gentle physical movements. Call Dell at 567-9353.
Senior Safety and Self-Defense - 11:00 am. You asked for it, so here it is! A gentle, but informative class on what you can do to protect yourself and avoid becoming a victim. Offered by Tallahassee Police Department. Tallahassee Senior Center Dining Room. Call 891-4042 to schedule. Nutritional Counseling and Assistance - 12:30 – 1:30 pm. All of your questions answered about weight loss and healthy eating for lifestyle and diabetes, in a small group setting. Offered by Leah Gilbert-Henderson, PhD, LD. Tallahassee Senior Center Health Suite. Donations appreciated. Call 891-4042 to schedule.
Pagan Picnic and Red Hills Pagan Council Meeting – 11 am on the second Sunday of each month. At the picnic pavilions on the south side of Lake Ella . Come meet local Pagans, Wiccans, Witches, Druids and other Earth worshippers. Bring a potluck dish to share, plates and utensils. Come for the picnic and stay for the RHPC monthly meeting at noon. All are welcome to listen and learn about the business of the Council. 20 Minute Silent Group Meditation. 12:30 on the second Sundays of every month. Childcare available with suggested $5 love offering. Unity Eastside, 8551 Buck Lake Road, admin@unityeastside.org, 656-1678. Unity Eastside Services – 9:30 & 11am. 8551 Buck Lake Rd. 850-656-1678, www.transformingourworld. org.
Thursday, December 17
Unity of Tallahassee Services – 9:30 & 11am Rev. Bill Williams. Dial-a-Thought 850-562-3766. 2850 Unity Lane, 850-562-5744, www.UnityofTallahassee.org.
Natural Remedies for Holiday Over Indulgence - 7:45-8:45 pm ∙ FREE! Wendy Creel, naturopathic doctor and master herbalist, will explain simple, natural remedies for indigestion and hangovers. You can add Wendy’s tips to your holiday survival kit! Wendy will also give great tips on avoiding weight gain and overeating.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee - Home for liberal faith & free thought - 9:30am Adult Forum, 11am service. Nursery & Youth Religious Ed, classes. Ongoing Green Sanctuary program, social justice, adult religious ed. activities. Campus Ministry. 2810 N. Meridian Rd, 850385-5115, www.nettally.com/uuct.
Scrooge, A Christmas Story at Thomasville On Stage & Company (TOSAC) Theater. December 12 & 13 and December 17, 18, 19 & 20 – All performances at 8 PM except Sunday performances at 2 PM. Written by Charles Dickens and Adapted and Directed by David Null - A Christmas Carol is the classic tale about the old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge who becomes a changed man after visitations from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future all pay him a visit. TOSAC Storefront Theater, 117 S. Broad St. (229) 226-0863, www.tosac.com.
Saturday, December 19 A Winter Solstice Celebration at Birdsong Nature Center. Visit www.birdsongnaturecenter.org or call (229) 377-4408 or TF 800-953-BIRD for details.
Monday, December 21 WINTER SOLSTICE!!
Friday, December 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Saturday, December 26 HAPPY KWANZAA!!
Thursday, December 31 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Hatha Yoga class - 6-7pm. Leslie Hanks’ Yoga Unlimited -Yoga and Ayurveda. 1st month $65. Teacher Training Program, RYT 200. 850-3856904, www.leslieyoga.com. Healing Heart Yoga-Yoga from the Inside Out with Nell Corry. 4:00–5:30 p.m. Cost: $12 for drop-ins; 3-month Namaste passes: 5 classes for $50, 10 for $90, 20 for $160. Namaste Yoga at Abundance Wellness Center, 325 John Knox Rd, Bldg T. For more information, contact Nell at 877-9086 or cerulean3@hotmail.com, or see http:// www.namaste-tallahassee.com Restorative Yoga with Mary Bradford. 6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m. Cost: $15.00 per class for drop-ins; 5 passes for $60. Namaste Yoga at Abundance Wellness Center, 325 John Knox Rd, Bldg T. Contact Mary at 322-0066 or mbradford931@comcast. net or see www.namaste-tallahassee.com.
MONDAY Lakulish Yoga at the Sanctuary with JoAnna. 5:30-7pm - 6 classes $60 or $12 drop-ins . Our capacity to enjoy life is contingent upon our ability to be fully engaged and connected to what we are doing in each moment. This is what makes life juicy! Yes!!!! And yoga practice supports us in this quest. Please join me! 2824 Par Lane off Blairstone. Call 222-0291. Yoga Nidra Meditation with JoAnna. 7:308:30 pm. - . 6 classes $60 or $12 drop-ins. Allow yourself to be gently guided to a new realm of
peace, tranquility and quiet joy.....you deserve it! At the Sanctuary 2824 Par Lane off Blairstone. Call 222-0291. Brain-Body Balance, 1:30-2:30. Low -impact, seated exercise. Bring water bottle and wear comfortable clothing. Tallahassee Senior Center Dining Room, 1400 N Monroe St. Open House at the Birth Cottage - 5-7pm each Mon. Tour facility, ask questions, find out advantages of natural childbirth in a home-like atmosphere. 260 E. 6th Ave. 850-224-BABY. Religious Science Spiritual Community – 7-8:30 pm, Unity of Tallahassee, 2850 Unity Lane. Share teachings of Science of Mind authors. Bret 850544-6834, Sue 850-942-0584. Brain-Body Balance - 1:30-2:30 pm. Low impact, seated exercise. Bring water bottle and wear comfortable clothing. Tallahassee Senior Center Dining Room.
TUESDAY Restorative Yoga with Charlene Cappellini and Mary Bradford. 11:30 am–1:00 pm. Drop-ins: $15; or purchase 5 passes for $60. No matter what your physical ability—you can experience postures that gently open the body and release long-held tensions. During class you are carefully guided into postures, fully supported with props, in a way to create the physiological conditions that promote deep relaxation. Men in Unity. Meets at 11:45 am on the second Tuesday of each month at Honey-Baked Ham, on Capital Circle near Mahan Drive. Healing Arts Alliance Meeting – 7-8:30pm 2nd Tues each month. Educational meeting open to all interested in healing arts. Email Susie@FertileCrescent.net to get meeting announcements. www.healingartsalliance.org. Reiki- Tuesday, Dec. 8 & 22, 10:30 am – Noon Reiki is a way of working with the Universal Life Energy to enhance our own natural healing ability. Join Susie Howell, Usui Reiki Master and Practitioner of 21 years, and her friends. Tallahassee Senior Center Health. 1400 N Monroe St. Awareness through Movement (FELDENKRAIS). 11:00 am – noon, Taught by Craig Stubbs, LMT Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N Monroe St. Life Exercise - 9:30–10:30am, also Thurs. Aerobics, light weights, stretching. Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St, 850-891-4000. Blood Pressure Screenings - 10am-12 Noon, also Thurs. Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St, 850-891-4000. VitaLife Exercise – 4:00 -5:00 pm, also on Thurs. Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St., 850-891-4000.
WEDNESDAY Gentle Yoga with Charlene Cappellini and Mary Bradford. Wednesdays, 5:30–7:00 pm - No classes on December 23, 30. $12 for drop-ins, special coupon packages available: 5 passes for $50; 10 passes for $90; 20 passes for $160. (Passes are good for 3 months and can be used for any of Namaste ongoing classes, except DOGA or Restorative Yoga.) Classes follow the Kripalu tradition with Viniyoga overtones, in an organic approach that
December 2009
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encourages you to honor the wisdom of your own body’s individual needs. Each class ends with deep, meditative relaxation. The New Year’s Resolution Club meets Wednesdays in December from 5:30 to 6:30 at Abundance Wellness Center. $10 A raw food appetizer is served and we discuss raw food recipes and tips, and ways to make them kid and family friendly. No reservation or commitment required. rawnaturel@ hotmail.com Gentle Yoga with Geralyn Russell: Receive a discount if you pre-register for this class. Drop-ins are welcome. Wed. 10:30-11:45 a.m. at Unity Eastside, 8551 Buck Lake Road,. Call Geralyn Russell at 878-2843 or email yogawithgeralyn@yahoo.com. Guided meditation with Dr. Patty Ball Thomas, L.U.T. Noon. Unity Eastside, 8551 Buck Lake Road, admin@unity-eastside.org 656-1678. Blood Pressure Screenings - 10am12 Noon, also Tues & Thurs. Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St, 850-891-4000. Brain-Body Balance. 2:00-3:00 pm Low impact, seated exercise. Bring water bottle and wear comfortable clothing. Heritage Oaks, 4501 W Shannon Lakes Dr. Glucose Screenings - 10:00 am Noon. Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St, 850-891-4000. Pick-Me-Up Prayer Service – Noon. Unity of Tallahassee, 2850 Unity Lane. 850-562-5744. www.UnityofTallahassee.org. Dial-a-Thought 850562-3766. Organic Grower’s Market – 3-7pm. Lake Ella behind Black Dog Cafe. Jennifer Taylor, FAMU Statewide Small Farm Programs, 850-412-5260. Hatha Yoga class - 6-7pm. Leslie Hanks’ Yoga Unlimited -Yoga and Ayurveda. 1st month $65. Teacher Training Program, RYT 200. 850-3856904, www.leslieyoga.com.
THURSDAY Strength and Spirit Yoga with Ellen Shapiro. 8:30–10:15 a.m. Cost: $12 for drop-ins; 3-month Namaste passes: 5 classes for $50, 10 for $90, 20 for $160. Namaste Yoga at Abundance Wellness Center, 325 John Knox Rd, Bldg T. For more information, contact Ellen at 222-0003 or ellsha@comcast. net or see www.namaste-tallahassee. com. Gentle Yoga with Charlene Cappellini and Mary Bradford. 9:30–11:00 am - No classes on December 23, 30. $12 for drop-ins, special coupon packages available: 5 passes for $50; 10 passes for $90; 20 passes for $160. (Passes are good for 3 months and can be used for any of Namaste ongoing classes, except DOGA or Restorative Yoga.) Classes follow the Kripalu
tradition with Viniyoga overtones, in an organic approach that encourages you to honor the wisdom of your own body’s needs. Class ends with relaxation. Lakulish Yoga for Finding Peace and Meaning in our lives with JoAnna. 5:30-7pm - 6 classes $60 or $12 dropins. Come and stretch your body, clear your mind. Let go of stress and feel good! at the Sanctuary 2824 Par Lane off Blairstone. 222-0291. Thomasville Downtown Market – Every Thursday. Your local fresh market - featuring home-grown and home-made products located in the parking lot at the corner of Remington Avenue and Crawford Street (across from Bain Auto) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday. Contact Thomasville Main Street at (229) 227-7020, www. downtownthomasville.com. Gentle Yoga with Charlene Cappellini. 5:30–7:00 p.m. Namaste Yoga at Abundance Wellness Center, 325 John Knox Rd, Bldg T. For more information, contact Charlene at 997-4534 or cappellini@nettally.com or see www. namaste-tallahassee.com. Cost: $12 for drop-ins; 3-month Namaste passes: 5 classes for $50, 10 for $90, 20 for $160. No classes on December 23, 30. Strength and Spirit Yoga with Ellen Shapiro. 7:15–8:45 p.m. Cost: $12 for drop-ins; 3-month Namaste passes: 5 classes for $50, 10 for $90, 20 for $160. Namaste Yoga at Abundance Wellness Center, 325 John Knox Rd, Bldg T. Contact Ellen at 222-0003, ellsha@comcast.net, www.namastetallahassee.com. Freethinkers Forum - 7pm. Exploring history and tenets of religions, faith traditions, freethought ideas. Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee Educ. Annex, 2810 N. Meridian Rd. Ron 850-997-5307. Tallahassee Pagan Meetup - Second Thursday of each month at 7 pm. Crystal Connection, 1105 Apalachee Parkway . Come meet local Pagans, Wiccans, Witches, Druids and other practitioners of New-Age spirituality and religion! Make friends, share stories and exchange knowledge. For more information check out pagan. meetup.com/1296/ or email KrazyPagan@aol.com.
Contact Mike Smith at msmithdrummerboy37@gmail.com. Gentle Yoga with Geralyn Russell: Receive a discount if you pre-register for this class. Drop-ins are welcome. Thurs 6:30 p.m. at Unity Eastside, 8551 Buck Lake Road,. Call Geralyn Russell at 878-2843 or yogawithgeralyn@yahoo.com. Life Exercise - 9:30–10:30am, also Tues. Aerobics, light weights, stretching. Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St, 850-891-4000. Blood Pressure Screenings - 10am12 Noon, also Tues. Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St, 850-891-4000.
FRIDAY Core Power Yoga with Ellen Shapiro. 8:30–10:15 a.m. Cost: $12 for drop-ins; 3-month Namaste passes: 5 classes for $50, 10 for $90, 20 for $160. Namaste Yoga at Abundance Wellness Center, 325 John Knox Rd, Bldg T. For more information, contact Ellen at 222-0003 or ellsha@comcast. net or see www.namaste-tallahassee. com. No classes on December 25, January 1. Wine Tasting - 5:30-7:30pm. FREE. (except 12/25) Our selection of wine is constantly evolving. Drop by the Co-op to taste the new arrivals. Free! New Leaf Market, 1235 Apalachee Pkwy, 850-942-2557, www.newleafmarket.coop. First Friday Gallery Hop – 6-9m, 1st Fri/mo. Tallahassee museums and galleries open with no admission charge, often featuring openings, receptions, special events. 850-224-2500. Chair Yoga. 11 a.m.– Noon, by Certified Yoga Instructors Bridget Kamke. A gentle yoga workout for increased mobility, bladder control, self-esteem, and mental focus. Tallahassee Senior Center, 1400 N. Monroe St. Massage - Offered by Jonathan Walker, LMT. 10:00 am –Noon. Nocost massage for seniors, an integral part of pain control and relaxation. On Dec. 4 & 8,. Tallahassee Senior Center Health Suite, 1400 N. Monroe St.
Devotional Chanting and Meditation, 7-9 p.m. on Second Fridays at Unity Eastside, 8551 Buck Lake Rd. 656-1678. Enrich your spiritual practice! Join Jeffji in singing easyto-learn chants in from eastern and western traditions. Donations will benefit the church.
SATURDAY Downtown MarketPlace - 8am-2pm. Fresh homegrown produce and organic items, fresh bread and eggs, fresh cut flowers and native plants. Local musicians, authors and poets, regional artists. Ponce de Leon Park, Downtown, Monroe St. & Park Ave. 850-224-3252, www.tallahasseedowntown.com. Core Power Yoga with Ellen Shapiro. 9:00–10:30 a.m. Cost: $12 for drop-ins; 3-month Namaste passes: 5 classes for $50, 10 for $90, 20 for $160. Optional 20-minute meditation immediately after class. Namaste Yoga at Abundance Wellness Center, 325 John Knox Rd, Bldg T. Contact Ellen at 222-0003 or ellsha@comcast.net or www.namaste-tallahassee.com. Beer Tasting - 5-7pm. FREE. (except 12/26) Drop by the Co-op and enjoy a variety of tasty beers. Free! New Leaf Market, 1235 Apalachee Pkwy, 850942-2557, www.newleafmarket.coop. Yoga Unlimited Early Risers’ Class - 8-9am. Yoga and Ayurveda. 1st month $65. Teacher Training Program, RYT 200. Leslie Hanks 850-385-6904, www.leslieyoga.com. Historical Happenings – 8:309:30am. 1st Sat each month. Learn about San Luis; for everyone interested in history, archaeology and the Mission! Free. Mission San Luis, 2021 W. Mission Rd. 850-487-3711, www. missionsanluis.org Colonial Crafts – 11am-1pm. 1st Sat each month. Come to Mission San Luis and go home with a unique craft item that you make yourself. Free. Mission San Luis, 2021 W. Mission Rd. 850487-3711, www.missionsanluis.org
Drumming Circle: the third Thursday of every month, from 7 to 9 P.M. in the Children’s House behind Unity Eastside’s main building. Unity Eastside, 8551 Buck Lake Road, 656-1678. A drum circle is a powerful tool for spiritual transformation. The qualities of relaxation and simple awareness are employed, along with the rhythmic flow of music, to enhance the transformative experience. No experience is necessary. A willing heart, moving hands and a consciousness of loving participation is all that’s needed. Some percussion instruments may be provided, but it is suggested that if you have a drum, that you bring it.
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CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY healthy solutions, inc. To find out how to advertise in CRG,
email TallaAdvertising@naturalawakeningsmag.com
to request our media kit.
beauty wavelengths Adrienne Carrion, 850-681-3288. 1150 E. Tennessee St.,
Specializing in hair care; designs, color/color correction, highlights, treatments, perms. Nail care includes manicures, pedicures, paraffin dips. Facials, eye treatments, microdermabrasion, peels, waxing.
Rick Ferrall, lmt, 850-294-8069 521 E. College Ave., TLH 32301 www. healthy_solutions@comcast.net
CranioSacral Therapy addresses scoliosis, chronic fatigue and MS, infant disorders, learning disabilities, orthopedic problems, emotional difficulties, chronic neck/back pain, stress and tension related problems, TMJ, brain/spinal cord injuries, and cancer issues. MA24604 / MM11960
healthcare
The Medical Healing Center
Angela Myers, ARNP-C. 850-309-1665, fax 850-309-0150, 225 Office Plaza Dr. TLH
Primary care, women’s health care, energy medicine, Reiki Therapy, acupuncture, homeo-pathy, nutritional therapy, and natural hormones.
Makeup by i.d. bareMinerals.
CLEANING GOLDEN RULE CLEANING SERVICES Julie Baldwin 850-274-0222
Goldenrulecleaning07@yahoo.com We specialize in Earth-friendly, nontoxic, green cleaning. Licensed and insured.
coaching
FLORIDA WELLNESS CENTER OF TALLAHASSEE
Ready to shift FROM TIRED TO INSPIRED in your business and life? Elizabeth helps women entrepreneurs to increase the visibility, credibility and profitability of their businesses while practicing self care at the same time! She offers group coaching, individual coaching and leads retreats around the country.
Cindy West, DVM, CVA 850-539-7643, 229-327-5198 2431 Florida/Georgia Hwy, Havana, FL
Dr. West employs her 22 years of Western medicine experience to offer integrated treatment options. A holistic veterinary approach to a variety of pet related issues, medical or behavioral. This clinic is the first of its kind in the Big Bend area of Florida and South Georgia. We are pleased to offer acupuncture, herbology, nutritional consultations and Tui-Na, a form of acumassage/acupressure.
HYPNOSIS
DARLENE TREESE, Ph.D. State Board Licensed 850-201-0073
Diplomate in Sports Counseling, National Institute of Sports Professionals. Past President, American Psychotherapy and Medical Hypnosis Association. e-Therapy and TherapyChat/Office-Based Hypnosis and Life Coaching/ Professional Seminar Training www.AskDrTreese.com
850.385.6664 2339 North Monroe Street (next to Boston Market)
www.floridawellnessandrehab.com At Florida Wellness & Rehabilitation Centers we are committed to keeping up with the latest technologies and treatments to provide our patients with the best rehabilitative experience possible. We believe in educating and encouraging our patients to take an active role in their own treatment.
holistic health
Elizabeth Barbour, M.Ed. The Inspired Entrepreneur Life & Business Coach www.elizabethbarbour.com www.inspiredentrepreneur.com 850-893-5211
holistic VETERINARY ALTERNATIVE VETERINARY MEDICINE
Patrice Bullock, MSN, FNP-C 556 Hall Road, Thomasville, GA 229.228.9050 newgenesis22@bellsouth.net
Family Nurse Practitioner Board Certified. New Genesis Center for Intentional Health & Aesthetics. A Holistic Health practice, Health Improvement consultations, supervised detoxification programs, healthy fat loss, digestive wellness programs, colon therapy/colonics. Clinical skin therapies: botanical-based peels/facials, skin care and microdermabrasion. Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioners. Therapeutic massage & Far Infrared Sauna
integrative medicine Archbold Integrative Medicine Center
John Mansberger, MD, Medical Director. 229228-7008; 2705 E. Pinetree Blvd. #C, Thomasville, GA 31792.
A holistic team approach to a variety of medical problems. Offering acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, pain relief, natural hormone replacement, Cancer therapy, nutrition, weight control, herbal medicine, yoga and physical therapy. www.archbold.org.
MASSAGE THERAPY core institute OF massage therapy
Pat and George Kousaleos
“licensed and insured.”
2819 Mahan Drive, Unit 1 Tallahassee, FL. 32308
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Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast
850-222-8673 www.coreinstitute.com 223 W. Carolina Street Tallahassee, FL 32301
Natural health Charlene M. Parrish, ND,
Doctor of Natural Health, Sweet Basil’s Health Foods & Wellness Ctr. 2551 E. Pinetree Blvd. Thomasville, GA 229-228-0730, www.sweetbasils.com
Wide array of herbs, supplements, natural foods, organic produce and health and beauty aids available.
PET DOGA
850-878-2843 Yogawithgeralyn@yahoo.com
professional SERVICES Southeastern community blood ctr. 1-800-722-2218. Located in
Tallahassee; Marianna, FL; Thomasville & Douglas, GA. scbcinfo.org
Blood donors save lives. Is there any greater reward? Save Lives. Give Blood. M-F, 9am–6pm. (Sat. hours in Tallahassee: 9am–1pm)
Ansley Studio
Ansley Simmons artist . photographer . owner 229.224.6021 www.AnsleyStudio.com Specializing in portraits & weddings. MFA in Photography, Arts Administration Doctoral Student, Art Museum Education Certificate Florida State University
NAMASTE YOGA
the BIRTH COTTAGE. Alice Sanpere, LM, CPM; Layla Swisher, LM, CPM; Diana Janopaul, LM, CPM, 260 E. 6th Ave. TLH 32303, 850-224-2229, thebirthcottage.com
Safe, nurturing environment for home-like birth. Complete prenatal care, waterbirth, nutrition coun-seling, breastfeeding info, home visits, childbirth classes and more. Personalized care at reasonable cost. HMO/ Medicaid/ Insurance.
COUNTRY PARADISE– Venus, FL 22+ acres, 10 hurricane resistant buildings, 3 are residence, 5 domes, lush park-like environment, lakes, ponds, bridges, decks, 4 wells, wildlife, fruit & palm trees. www.FlaLandSale.com 863-465-0321.
www.namaste-tallahassee.com 850-222-0003 325 John Knox Road, Bldg T ellsha@comcast.net
SPIRIT COVE, Murphy NC. Inspired mountain community for creative and mindful nature lovers. Wooded view lots, forest preserve, pond, trails to An array of day and evening classes NFS. $34,900-$47,900. Very peaceful. www.spiritby a variety Of certified teachers coveproperties.com 828-342-8838. trained in different traditions: Kripalu,
worship
PRODUCTS / SERVICES
Check out Know For Yourself DVD about the power of personal certainty and daring to go for your dreams! http://www.KnowForYourself. com, enter Coupon Code 143223 for $5 discount. Help your pets live longer.Safe, Healthy Veterinarian Formulated Holistic pet food for dogs and cats. www.familypetfood.com. WEIGHT LOSS -Finally, obesity is optional. All natural miracle weight loss patch. 239-434-1622. BeWellU.com SOY CANDLES, beautifully hand poured with Cotton wicks, magical inspirations. Visit: www. mysticelementsetc.com. Contact: info@mysticlelementsetc.com
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
CURRENTLY PUBLISHING NATURAL AWAKENINGS MAGAZINES - For sale in 8551 Buck lake, TLH, 850-656-1678, Rev. Jean Asheville NC, Birmingham/ Huntsville AL, Denver De Barbieris Owen, Minister, CO, Mobile AL, Morris County NJ, and New York www.unity-eastside.org City, NY Call for details 239-530-1377.
Unity eastside
Rev. Jean believes the love of God is unfolding in each person, place, thing. Join us in worship: Sunday Meditation Service, 9:30; Celebration Service, 11am; Youth, 11am. Noon prayer Wed.
UNITY OF TALLAHASSEE
PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH
PROPERTIES / RETREATS
Need a place for retreat/conferences? Full service facility Georgia Mountains. www.Enota.com 706-896-9966, 800-990-8869.
YOGA
We safely practice gentle stretching for you and your dog. Enjoy a new Iyengar and Ashtanga. Drop by or visit approach for shared fun and enjoyment our Website for a schedule of current with your dog. Two locations: Namaste classes or see the Calendar of events. Yoga Studio at the Abundance Wellness Center, 325 John Knox Road Bldg T, Tallahassee (near Tallahassee Mall) and The Pet Place, 1626-B KAI YOGA ARTS Capital Circle NE (near the corner of Mahan and Capital Circle). Check out schedules at http:// 229-888-2435 414-C North Westover Blvd , Albany GA www.yogawithyourdog.com/. Namaste@kaiyoga.net Kai Yoga Arts is a Way Of Being. A PET PORTRAITS way of making a difference in your 850-566-6180 life and others around you. Yoga Pet portraiture with Lynn Priestley. seeps out into all aspects of our lives, Have your pet’s portrait painted on connecting the body with the mind a 16x20” canvas with acrylics. Lynn and the spirit. When we heal these strives to capture their expressions fragmented pieces of our lives, we truly experience Joy of love and loyalty. Website: http:// and Wellbeing. www.LynnPriestley.com.
photography
classified
2850 Unity Lane, TLH, 850-562-5744, Rev. Bill Williams, Minister,
A ministry that seeks inspiration from the teachings of Jesus and finds common ground with spiritual masters from other traditions. We invite you to join us. Sunday Services 9:30 & 11 AM. Youth Education 11 AM. Wednesday Service at Noon.
GET HEALTHY AND GET PAID!! For more information, call 1-800-896-7384 today! MOMs Helping MOMs Work From Home! Computer required. Visit www. healthyhome4 family. Command click on GET MORE INFO. Work with a team that teaches people how to create a multiple six-figure income by working from home in a non-MLM business. 1-800-642-5019.
COUPLE RETREATS Romantic Vacation/Workshops: Florida, Mexico . Create Magic in Your Relationship. Deepen Intimacy, Discover Tantra. Brochure. 1-877-282-4244 www.IntimacyRetreats.com
HELP WANTED Help your pets live healthier and longer. Safe, Healthy Veterinarian Formulated Holistic pet food for dogs, cats and horses. www. familypetfood.com Field Representatives wanted.
December 2009
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Tallahassee, S. Georgia, Gulf Coast